Revolution
by arysa13
Summary: Modern AU, the Starks live in Texas, not too far from Amarillo, when the Lieutenant Governor, Robert Baratheon dies and the Starks find themselves surrounded by enemies. This is the story of the Starks had they lived in modern day Texas, each chapter is based off a Miranda Lambert song from her album Revolution (the Australian tour edition).
1. Famous in a Small Town

**Chapter One – Famous in a Small Town**

_They say life is so much sweeter through the telephoto lens of fame._

_Around here you get just as much attention cheering at the high school football game._

**_Sansa:_**

Daddy dropped the Lake Northfield Daily newspaper onto the dining table where the rest of the family, apart from my brother Robb, sat waiting for our breakfast. Mama sat at one end of the table, Daddy's chair was at the other. I was on Mama's left and Arya was next to me. Across the table sat Bran in his wheelchair, and next to him was my youngest brother Rickon. There was one empty chair beside Arya and one beside Rickon, reserved for Robb and Jon, though Jon hadn't been back in a year.

Daddy was visibly upset but didn't say a word as Mama picked up the paper and began to read it. It didn't take long for her expression to change from puzzled to concerned, but she read the entire article before folding the paper.

"Oh Ned," she said, a quiver in her voice as she wrapped her arms around her husband. I looked nervously around at my brothers and sister, waiting for one of our parents to explain what was going on. Finally Mama dropped her arms and Daddy leant forward, holding onto the back of the chair he stood behind, located at the head of the table.

"I have some very grave news. Robert Baratheon is dead." My father, Eddard Stark, was not one for beating around the bush, he always got straight to the point. The news was quite shocking, for although Robert Baratheon drank a lot and was a few pounds heavier than he should have been, he seemed to have been in good health and high spirits.

I didn't really care for the man all that much but he was an important man in more ways than one. Robert Baratheon was the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, married to Cersei Lannister of the Lannisters who owned almost everything in Texas and were certainly the richest family in the state. But not only was Robert important in that sense, he was also my father's best friend from childhood and the father of my long term boyfriend, Joffrey. So although I didn't particularly like him, his death meant something. I knew she should feel sorry, or sad, for Daddy and for Joffrey, but all I could feel was disappointment that a proposal from Joffrey was going to be put off even longer than I expected.

After his announcement, Daddy sat down at the table with the rest of his family without another word. I picked up the folded paper her mother had put down and began to read.

_FIRST BUCK OF THE SEASON_ read the headline. "_How insensitive,_" I thought, irritated at whoever had come up with the ridiculous pun as a headline.

Robert Baratheon had fancied himself a stag. When he was running for office all his posters and banners sported the emblem of a stag and he claimed it was his family coat of arms, which won him a lot of votes from people who believed in family values. But I knew that he didn't really care at all about his family, except for the name which got him to a lot of places he may not have been able to go had he not had it. Joffrey had often told me of how Robert neglected him, and how all Joffrey had ever wanted was a loving father but Robert never had time for him.

Moving past the tactless headline, I read on. The pun made more sense now as I came to realise that Robert had been shot while hunting, though it was unclear whether intentional or accidental. The article mentioned Robert's great feats briefly, how he had won over the entire state and claimed the title of Lieutenant Governor for his own, but it mainly focused on the Lannisters and how deep their grief was.

_"Robert was the love of my life and I would give anything to bring him back. From the Moment I met him I knew we were meant to be together. I cannot stand the injustice of him being ripped away from me when we still had so many great years ahead of us. If anyone has any information on how this tragedy could have occurred, please come forward and you will be rewarded dearly."_

I was moved by Cersei's words quoted in the article. I was lucky to have such a loving woman as her soon-to-be (I was sure) mother-in-law. After I was finished I handed to paper to my sister Arya to read.

Just then, Robb burst through the door with a big grin on his face.

"Tyler and Casey broke up!" Normally, the gossip Robb always brought home had me enthralled but this time I tried to signal to Robb to shut up. Now was not the time for idle gossip. Unfortunately Robb misunderstood my gestures or chose to ignore them because he kept going.

"We heard he was caught red-handed with her mother! I don't know if it's true or not but that's what they're letting us all believe." He laughed as he sat down at the table and began to dig into the food which had recently been served. We all remained silent as Robb continued to tell all about members of the town. "Oh and Fat Micah is in jail." This caused Arya to speak up.

"No! Not Micah! Why?" Micah was some kind of weird friend of Arya's.

"Arya, don't talk with your mouth full!" said Mama sternly, as though that mattered right now.

"He tried to fight Joffrey apparently! Course The Hound was around to back him up and Micah got beaten to a pulp as well as being thrown in jail. I always knew he was dumb."

Arya looked even more upset now than she had before. I fail to see how Robb could know all this irrelevant nonsense at 9 o'clock in the morning and yet be totally oblivious to the fact that one of the most influential men in Texas had just died. Robb went silent then and looked over at Daddy.

"Robb…" Daddy began.

"What? Dad what is it?" asked Robb, finally realising the mood of the room. Daddy handed Robb the paper. Robb's jaw went slack as he read and when he finally put the paper down he just looked at Daddy and said, "Dad, I'm so sorry. This isn't right!" I wasn't sure what he meant by that.

"I know," said Daddy.

We all ate breakfast without saying another word until Robb got up to leave.

"I'll see you later," he said

"Where are you going?" asked Mama, slightly surprised that he was leaving so soon.

"To see Waldina," Robb headed toward to door.

"But didn't you just get here?"

"No, I slept here last night." And with that he disappeared through the front door and drove off.

**_Robb:_**

I lit a cigarette as I left the house and dialled Waldina's number, to calm me after the shocking news of Robert Baratheon's death.

"Hey Waldy, meet you at the quick stop in ten? Yes, I am wearing my yellow shades. Great see you soon." I ended the call and started the car. Waldina Frey and I had been engaged for a year. It was what everyone expected of course, we'd been dating since high school. We both went to school in Amarillo, though my family lives in a town slightly out of the city. Of course we were the popular ones in high school. Both our families are rich and therefore prominent in the area. Everybody knew our names; I guess that's why we got together. Waldina wasn't particularly pretty but she had a good body and she always tried hard with her hair and make-up. And of course I loved her, or I never would have proposed, no matter how much my mother urged me.

I rolled up to the quick stop and Waldina was already waiting there. I got out of the car and she ran up and jumped into my arms, kissing me passionately.

"Hey baby," she said, still in my arms, "I missed you last night, where were you?"

"I was late back from Amarillo, I didn't want to wake you so I slept at Mama and Dad's place,"

"Aw, how considerate! I'm so lucky to have you."

"Listen Waldina, I don't know if you heard, but Robert Baratheon's dead."

"Yeah I heard. You okay?"

"Yeah I guess."

"You wanna talk about it?" I was silent. I did want to talk about it, but somehow I didn't want to share it with Waldina. I didn't think she would understand.

"Not really," I said finally.

"You wanna go for a drive?"

"Sure, I just have to grab some soda first."

Waldina waited outside in my car while I went in to get the soda. I grabbed two cans and brought them up to the counter.

Talisa Maegyr barely looked at me as she served me, but as I handed her the money she looked up into my eyes.

"Are you alright?" she asked. I shook my head. She nodded.

"I've got to go," I said. She glanced out the window at Waldina in my car then back at me and she smiled a sad smile.

"Talisa…" I started.

"It's alright Robb, I get it." But I knew from the look in her eye that it wasn't alright.

"I wish I could kiss you right now," I whispered. She closed her eyes for a second before answering.

"Maybe…" she started, but she stopped herself. "Will I see you tonight?" she said instead.

"Yes."

**_Arya:_**

I lay in bed that night wide awake. I couldn't sleep, but I wasn't sure why. It's not like I really knew Robert Baratheon so surely I couldn't be upset about that. It could have been that Micah was in jail. I knew that whatever happened, it couldn't have been his fault. He wouldn't start fights like that. I was annoyed at Joffrey and at this so called "Hound", but I knew Micah would be out of jail by morning most likely, so that really couldn't have been the reason I wasn't sleeping. But the other possible reason seemed too selfish. I was annoyed that the news about Robert had prevented me from sharing my own news. I was to be eighteen in a few weeks and I planned to get out of this town. But how could I break my father's heart further by telling him that when he had just found out his best friend had died.

I had dreamed of going to Nashville ever since I was given a guitar for my eleventh birthday. It was a gift from my half brother Jon. Jon was born before Mama and Daddy were married but there was always a little tension between them when it came to Jon, especially since Daddy wouldn't tell anyone who Jon's mother was, so Jon left to join the army as soon as he was eighteen. Now I only saw him sporadically, but I thought about him often, especially when I played guitar.

When I first got the guitar Sansa used to sing with me, and we even wrote songs together. We said some day we'd go to Nashville and make it as a famous country duo. But then Sansa's boyfriend Charlie moved away and she got all depressed and she told me that singing was a silly dream and it was time to grow up. Only I never felt that way and even though I couldn't sing as well as Sansa, I still thought I could make it on my own. So I decided I was leaving as soon as I turned eighteen.

Still unable to sleep I crept down the stairs towards the kitchen to get a glass of water. On the way there however, I heard voices coming from Daddy's study so I put my ear to the door to listen.

"…make sense," Daddy was saying, "someone accidentally shot him while hunting, and yet no one knows who did it? And he was so close to Amarillo, but he didn't call to say he was here, or drop by. There's got to be something more going on."

"Yes, I agree with you. Surely the Lannisters are behind this? That article was all about Cersei." Mama whispered urgently.

"They clearly paid the paper to print that rubbish; I'll wager not a word of it was true. And they let me find out from the paper. Any decent human being would have called me to let me know."

"And now they've asked you to go to Austin? What could they possibly want from you?"

"Probably just to keep up appearances. The whole state, if not the whole country knows that Robert and I were childhood friends. If the Lannisters cut me loose now, they might come across as heartless."

They were both silent for a while and I thought maybe the conversation was over, but then Mama started speaking again.

"So are you going to go?"

"I suppose I have to, don't I?" Daddy sounded resigned.

"If we want to find out what really happened to Robert I suppose you do. But please be careful Ned. Who knows what those Lannisters are capable of?"


	2. Makin' Plans

**Chapter Two: Makin' Plans**

_Got a heart of gold and a piece of land_

_I'm your girl and you're my man_

_And we're makin' plans._

**_Arya:_**

Daddy asked us all except Rickon if we wanted to go to Austin with him. Robb said he should stay and help Waldina with the wedding plans, and Bran said he had a lot of homework to do. I think he also didn't want to deal with the whole wheelchair situation. Bran had lost the use of his legs two years ago when the Lannisters and Baratheons had come to stay. All he remembered from the accident was that he had fallen from a tree. Somehow I felt that the Lannisters were involved. I think Mama and Daddy thought so too, though when I mentioned it to them they told me I was being silly. I never really liked the Lannisters and that incident put me on guard whenever they were around. I certainly couldn't see what Sansa saw in Joffrey. To me he was just a wimpy little mama's boy with a large inheritance.

After hearing what Mama and Daddy had said about the Lannisters last night, in regards to Robert Baratheon's death, I like them even less. That's why I knew I had to go to Austin with Daddy and Sansa, to keep an eye on them. I knew Sansa would never listen to me, but maybe if I watched closely enough, and noticed something amiss, I could tell Daddy and he could get us back north immediately.

Robert's funeral was elaborate and obviously the Lannisters had gone all out for the occasion. From the amount of people who attended it was obvious that Robert was well loved. We sat up the front near Robert's family, as Cersei insisted we were as good as. Cersei sat with her twin brother Jaime on one side and Joffrey on the other. Next to him were his younger brother and sister, Tommen and Myrcella. I was next to Myrcella, then came Sansa and Daddy. On the other side of the church, in the pews opposite us sat Robert's brothers, Renly and Stannis. Daddy had seemed surprised to Stannis there, as it was no secret that Stannis didn't particularly care for his brother, and there was no warm feelings between him and the Lannisters. Renly sat by his wife, Margaery and Stannis sat with his wife Selyse and daughter Shireen.

Other faces that I didn't recognise scattered the church, although when my father pointed them out their names seemed familiar to me. There was Petyr Baelish, the Lannisters accountant and my mother's childhood friend, whom I had never met. Varys, who also worked for the Lannisters, although Daddy couldn't tell me exactly what he did. Loras Tyrell, Margaery's brother was also there, one row back from his sister and her husband, and sitting behind Joffrey was his bodyguard, Sandor Clegane, the Hound. I glanced at him and shivered at his massive frame and scarred face. How did he get those scars? Then I remembered he was the one that beat up my friend Micah, and along with Joffrey got him thrown in jail. I glowered at him until he looked over and saw me and I quickly turned back to the front.

These people and this place made me uneasy and I couldn't wait to get out.

After the service ended, people were milling around comforting each other so I ducked around the back of the church for a smoke. I didn't smoke often but this whole situation just set me on edge.

Just as I lit up I heard someone walk up behind me. Maybe if I ignored them they'd go away.

"Don't you know cigarettes will kill you?" rasped a voice. I turned to face him.

"Gotta die somehow," I replied, it was my usual smart ass answer which I used on people who weren't going to tell my mother. Sandor Clegane almost smiled. Or maybe it was a smile, but I couldn't tell because of his scars. He pulled out a cigarette of his own.

"Got a light?" He asked. I glared at him but obliged. Maybe I could get him to apologise for beating up Micah.

"So, you're Joffrey's bodyguard?" I began.

"Something like that."

"So if someone tries to hurt him you just beat them up?"

"Yep."

"What about if they weren't trying to hurt him? What if Joffrey just asked you to beat someone up? Would you do it then?"

"Probably."

"Why?"

"Why not?" This was getting me nowhere. Time to get straight to the point.

"Did you beat up Micah because Joffrey asked you to?"

"Who?"

"Micah. The one you got thrown in jail." He must know who I was talking about. Surely he didn't beat up that many people and get them thrown in jail.

"Oh yeah, him. Yeah I beat him up. Jail was all Joffrey's doing though. The kid had it coming." He took a long drag on his cigarette.

"How can you say that? What did Micah ever do to you to deserve that kind of treatment?" I said, outraged.

"Oh don't get all self righteous on me. Like you never beat up someone just 'cause they got on your nerves. Hypocrite." He rolled his eyes. He was right. I've beaten up plenty of kids who got in my way or insulted my family. Damn, I was a stupid hypocrite.

"Stupid." I said to myself. He laughed.

"Why do they call you the Hound?" I asked him. He shrugged and looked at his feet. He seemed like he wasn't going to answer, but then he looked up, past me, into the distance.

"Most people think they're better than dogs. Most people think they're better than me. But I'll tell you something, a dog will never lie to you." He stalked off after that. I wondered if I'd offended him but then I realised I didn't care. I thought I heard a noise behind me but I whipped my head around and no one was there.

**_Robb:_**

"… and then I thought, why should we invite someone who is nothing but rude to us, and I'm sure would never invite us to _their _wedding, so that's why we're not inviting the Tyrells!" Waldina blathered on about wedding preparation as we lay in bed. She had almost finalised the guest list, and at this rate we wouldn't be married for another six years. I wanted to tell her that in fact the Starks had been invited to Margaery and Renly's wedding, but I knew that would just start her up again and would probably offend her as well, since the Freys were hardly invited to anything, mainly because there was so many of them. I wanted her to stop talking about something that seemed so unimportant.

"Robb?"

"Mm?"

"You know I love you right?"

"Of course, Waldy. I love you too," I return the words like I have been for years, but I don't even know if they're true anymore.

"I know I'm not easy to understand… but… well I feel like you know me like the back of your hand. We can just go on and on, right? Stay with me forever."

Waldina kissed me then and turned off the light. I wondered in that moment if she knew something that she shouldn't. And in that moment I also realised I didn't feel the same about her.

"Goodnight baby," she said and snuggled into my side. I waited till I could hear her softly snoring before carefully getting out of bed, putting clothes on and leaving the house, all without waking her up. As I sped out the front gate and down the road I felt free for a moment, without the crushing weight of an impending marriage to a woman I wasn't sure I loved anymore.

I drove straight to her, to Talisa, like I had been doing as often as I dared for the past six months. My relationship with Talisa was completely secret from everyone, even my best friend Theon who was practically my brother. I think he knew something was up though, I often used him as an excuse to Waldina when I was going to see Talisa and he'd covered for me more than once. That's what made him such a great friend.

I met Talisa at university. She was studying medicine and I was studying business but somehow we ended up having one class together.

I walked into the lecture late and I noticed her right away. She was beautiful, long dark hair tied back in a plait, engrossed in whatever the lecturer was saying. The lecturer glared at me as I made my way to the seat next to her.

"Hi," I whispered, "I'm Robb. Robb…"

"Stark. I know who you are." She said, her accent was definitely not American.

"Really? How do you know?"

"Everyone knows who you are. Plus I live in LakeNorthfield."

"You do? I've never seen you there."

"It's recent. I work at the quick stop."

"Where are you from then?"

"Sydney."

"Sydney, Australia?"

"Yes." We were still whispering, and I could tell she wanted to listen to the lecturer but she was too interesting to stop talking to.

"What are you doing here then?"

"That's a story for another time,"

"So, I'll see you again then?" I asked. She smiled in spite of herself.

"I assume you'll be coming back to this lecture?"

"Of course. I'm extremely interested in… what is this again?" she just laughed and went back to taking notes and somehow I found myself vowing that I'd find out everything about her.

I pulled up out the back of Talisa's house so that no one would see the car, and ran to the door. She was waiting for me and I kissed her like I never kissed Waldina.

"Talisa…" I whispered into her mouth, and we shed our clothes in a fury of passion still making our way to the bedroom.

"Yes?" she replied breathlessly.

"I love you." Talisa paused then. She looked at me seriously. She closed her eyes with that same look she'd had at the quick stop. One full of pain.

"I love you too," she whispered back, and I thought I saw tears in her eyes. They were gone quicker than they were there though.

"I'm going to leave Waldina." I said. She looked at me searchingly as if she couldn't tell if I was serious or not. Then she smiled like I hadn't seen her smile for weeks now and I could tell she had been waiting for those words for a long time.

"Okay," she said still smiling, "but don't tell her tonight," and she pushed me down onto the bed with a mischievous grin.

**_Sansa:_**

Two weeks after his father's funeral, Joffrey asked me out for dinner. He took me to an extremely fancy restaurant, and at first I thought it was closed, but then I realised he must have booked out the entire thing so we could be alone. Alone apart from his bodyguard that is, who stood by the door. I glanced over at him. The scars on his face were repulsive and the man was so big he most definitely scared me.

I thought back to our encounter at the funeral. Daddy, Arya and I got out of the car and headed up the steps of the church, but I realised that I'd left my purse in the car and ran back to get it. As I made my way back to the church I was stopped by a man. He didn't say anything to me, but I thought maybe he wanted to.

"Are you alright?" I asked. No answer. "Sir? Is there something I can do for you?" I was beginning to feel a little worried about this man.

"He doesn't speak," said a voice from behind me. I gasped and spun around. The scarred face and size of the man were even more alarming than his sneaking up behind me. _Sandor Clegane, The Hound, _I immediately recognised him as Joffrey's bodyguard, though I had never met him.

"Ilyn Payne. He's mute," continued Sandor, "he was born that way. He's good at keeping secrets." I didn't know what to say to that. Both these men were frightening the hell out of me and all I could think was _"Get me out of here"_.

"Oh…" came my intelligent reply. Then I regained my composure and managed to speak like a normal person. "I'm sorry, Mr Payne, I didn't mean to offend you. May you forgive me in time?" Ilyn Payne walked away. I went to follow him in the direction of the church but the hand of Sandor Clegane stopped me.

"Sweet words, Little Bird. It's a pity you didn't mean them."

"I don't know what you mean," I said, trying to take a step back, but Sandor's hand was firmly on my shoulder.

"Do you ever say what you feel, or is it all just a façade?"

"I… I'm very sorry, but I have to get to the church now," I choked out. How dare he say those things to me? He didn't even know me! Sandor let out a sad kind of chuckle.

"As I suspected," he said and let me go. At that moment Joffrey came out of the church looking for me. I had never been so glad to see him in my life.

"Ah, there you are Sansa! You, Hound, get away from her, you're scaring her." Sandor put his hands up in the air as if to say, "_I'm not touching her, she's free to go._" Joffrey came over and put his arm around me.

"Come on you two, the service is about to start. I need to mourn my father," he said. But he didn't seem sad at all.

Outside the church after the service, I looked around for Arya, as we were leaving soon. I couldn't see her so I figured she was around the back having a smoke. She thought no one in our family knew about her bad habit but we all did except Mama.

I could hear Arya's voice as I approached so I stepped around the corner to the back of the church but stopped short when I saw who she was with. She always did seem to keep bad company.

"Why do they call you the Hound?" she asked him. I was tempted to leave, but strangely I wanted to know the answer to the question.

Sandor looked up then, right at me.

"Most people think they're better than dogs. Most people think they're better than me. But I'll tell you something, a dog will never lie to you." It seemed like he was talking to me, not to Arya, when he said those words. He walked away and I quickly ducked around the corner and leant against the bricks of the church so that Arya wouldn't know I'd been eavesdropping.

There was something odd about Sandor Clegane that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

I thought that again now as I sat at the table across from Joffrey. I smiled and chatted politely throughout the meal, but I kept glancing over at Sandor. I don't know if it was because I was scared of him or intrigued by him. He stood stiffly by the door and I wondered if he was paying attention to our conversation of whether he was off in his own little world. Joffrey didn't seem to notice that I wasn't all there.

Once we had finished our meal, two violinists walked out from the kitchen and started playing Love Story by Taylor Swift, one of my favourite songs. When they were done Joffrey got up out of his chair and knelt down by my side. For some reason I was surprised. It really should have been obvious what this evening was about.

"Sansa," Joffrey began, "I love you with all my heart. If I wasn't by your side, I'd never be satisfied. Nothing… nothing would feel right if you weren't beside me. I want you in my life forever. Sansa, will you marry me?" And for the first time that evening I was focused completely on him and the enormous diamond ring he had revealed.

"Yes. Yes! A thousand times yes!" I smiled and kissed him and he picked me up and span me around and although I was perfectly happy, and this was what I had wanted for months now, something inside wondered what Sandor's opinion on the matter was. Did he think I was making the right decision? Did her think I was being honest, or was this a façade too? And most importantly, why did I even care?


	3. More Like Her

**Chapter Three: More Like Her**

_You had it all for a pretty little while_

_And somehow you made me smile when I was sad_

_You took a chance on a bruised and beaten heart_

_Then you realised you wanted what you had_

_I guess I should've been more like that._

**_Arya:_**

Sansa and Joffrey announced the news at breakfast the next morning. Since the Baratheon's mansion was enormous, even bigger than our Winterfell as we called it, we were staying there and as such had been forced to dine with them for every meal. It had been even more awkward last night without Sansa and Joffrey there, the two people that seemed to keep our families getting along.

"We're engaged!" Sansa held up her left hand for everyone to see. The diamond was huge, entirely unnecessary if you ask me. Who would want to carry that massive blob around on their finger? Just one of the many reasons I'm not ever getting married.

"Congratulations!" Cersei smiled. Unlike Daddy, she didn't seem surprised at all. She clearly knew this was about to happen. Daddy, however, choked on his breakfast. After he regained his breath he managed a few words of congratulations.

"I'm so happy I can't eat! I've got to go ring Mama and Jeyne and Robb and… well everyone!"

"We'll put an announcement in the paper too, dear," said Cersei as Sansa ran off. The word dear seemed unnatural on her tongue. I doubted she used it often, except when trying to play the loving mother, or wife, or mother-in-law. But I knew her game.

To be honest I knew that if Joffrey ever proposed, Sansa would accept, but somehow I was still annoyed. I was annoyed that she couldn't see what a smarmy whiny bitch he was, I was annoyed we would soon be related to the Lannisters but most of all I was annoyed that she'd told everyone today of all days. I was planning to tell Daddy that day that I was heading of to Nashville when I turned eighteen. Now for the second time, someone had beaten me to it, and given him enough shocking news for one day. I guessed I'd just have to wait a few more days. Only my birthday was so soon, and I wanted to leave straight away if I could.

I got up from the table and went to go after Sansa. Normally I would have been scolded for not excusing myself but no one seemed to care today.

I knocked on Sansa's door before opening it. She was just finishing a call to what sounded like her best friend Jeyne Poole. She looked up as I came in and actually beamed at me.

"Arya! What's up?"

"Have you told Mama yet?" I asked.

"Well, no…" she said guiltily, "I couldn't resist telling Jeyne first! But I'm going to call her right now!" she quickly dialled the number.

"Wait," I said, pressed the end call button. Sansa frowned at me, puzzled.

"Arya, what is it?"

"It's just… are you sure you're making the right decision?"

"Well, yeah. I can't not tell her. Then how would she know to come to the wedding?" She looked at me as if I were crazy. And maybe I was. Trying to talk sense into Sansa was not the easiest job in the world.

"No," I said, exasperated, "not about telling Mama. About marrying Joffrey."

"Arya. I know you have some weird crazy grudge against him, I don't know where that came from, but Joffrey is a good man, and I love him. I'm going to marry him. And I would like you to be a bridesmaid, if you'll consent."

"Do you though? Love him? I can't help but think you're making a terrible mistake."

"Thank-you for your concern, dear sister, but as I previously stated I love Joffrey and I intend to marry him. Now are you going to be a bridesmaid or not?" she said venomously.

"No, I don't want to be a stupid bridesmaid for you and _Joffrey_," I spat out his name as if it burnt my tongue to say, "He's an idiot and so are you if you marry him!"

"You're just jealous that you're too ugly to ever get married! You'll end up old and alone with no one to blame but yourself!"

"At least I won't end up with a snivelling brat with a whore for a mother!"

"How dare you say that about my fiancé and his mother!"

"I'll say what I like! And I'll say this; he's just going to end up a fat old drunk like his father!"

"That's ridiculous, he's nothing like his father!" We were shouting now and I had a very strong urge to slap Sansa very hard across the face. Maybe it would knock some sense into her. But before I got the chance, Daddy burst into the room.

"What is going on here?" he didn't have to shout for us to know we were both in trouble. "You're acting like children. Apologise to each other at once!" I didn't bother apologising. Why should I when I meant every word I said. Instead I just stormed past Daddy and back to my own room, slamming the door behind me.

Sansa got one thing right though, Joffrey was nothing like his father. Robert was kind and brave and independent. Joffrey was an evil coward who hid behind his mother's skirts.

**_Robb:_**

****I sat in the car, trying to work up the nerve to go inside and tell Waldina it was over. I knew that it was the right thing to do, but that didn't make it any easier. How do you break up with someone you assumed you'd spend the rest of your life with? The truth was I'd stopped envisioning my future with Waldina the moment I met Talisa. And I couldn't be with someone I didn't love, no matter how much every one else, namely my mother- wanted it.

I took a deep breath and got out of the car. I lit a cigarette as I walked to the door and gave myself another few minutes to finish it before going inside. Waldina was in the lounge room sorting through her DVDs. She looked up when she heard me come in.

"Hey baby!" She got up and went to give me a kiss but I stopped her. "What's wrong?" she asked, stepping away from me. I took a few more deep breaths. Now just to get the words out.

"Waldina, I… I have to tell you something." Well, that's a start. I saw desperation in her eyes. Did she know what was coming? But in a flash it was gone.

"No, wait. I have to tell you something first."

"I really think I should go first," I didn't need some kind of confession or guilt trip messing this up. It was time this facsimile of a sham of a relationship was put to an end.

"No." She said it really quite forcefully, so I felt I had no choice but to listen to her. "Robb. I know you've been cheating on me – don't interrupt me! It's true." I could do nothing but stare at her. How did she know? And there was no point denying it since I had just been about to tell her myself anyway.

"I don't know for how long, or who with and I don't want to know. But I'm hoping things will change after I tell you this. I'm pregnant." I did more blank staring at her. "So I hope you've got your little fling out of your system because I'm really going to need you, now more than ever."

I finally woke up from my stupor. I put my arms around her.

"That's fantastic!" I choked out. Because it was, wasn't it? And now it was obvious the honourable thing to do was stay with her and bring up my child. I had to forget Talisa, like Waldina wanted me to.

"I'm so sorry for betraying you. I'm here for you now and I will be till the end of my days."

I pulled out of the embrace and put my hands on her face. There were tears welling in her eyes.

"I love you, you know that right?" I asked, completely sincere. She nodded and I kissed her all over her face, ending with a passionate kiss on her lips and we made love on the couch.

**_Talisa:_**

_He'll be here soon. He'll be all yours, just like you wanted. _

Robb said he would be gone half an hour at the most. It had been two hours now and I figured that meant it had gone badly, but I was trying to reassure myself. What did it matter how Waldina reacted? Robb could handle it I knew. One fight was nothing compared to the rest of time we would now get to spend together.

I thought I was dreaming when Robb told me he was going to leave Waldina. It was all I wanted since the first I spoke to him. It wasn't that he was rich, or good looking or a Stark. I didn't know what it was exactly. But somehow he made me smile when I was sad.

I still remembered the first time he kissed me. We were spending the day in Amarillo. Although we were still just friends at this point, he never liked me and Waldina to be around each other for long periods of time. He had introduced me to Waldina, but Waldina barely looked twice at me, stating simply that she'd seen me at the quick stop and it was lovely to meet me.

Robb took me out to a fancy restaurant in Amarillo and I was doing my best to remind myself that we were friends, that he had a fiancée and that this was not a date, but I was so in love with him by that point that it hardly seemed to matter.

I was smiling the whole way through dinner and afterwards we decided to go for a walk around the block. As we made our way back to the car a couple of guys started calling out to me. I was surprised they would do so with Robb there, but obviously he didn't intimidate them or something.

"Hey sexy, wanna ditch the loser and come back to my place?" I rolled my eyes. _Original, _I thought and ignored them. Robb ignored them too but I could see from the look on his face that he wasn't happy about it.

"Aw, come on baby, I've got something for ya! I reckon your sexy ass would love a piece of this!" he hollered, gesturing at his crotch.

"That's it." Said Robb and crossed the road towards the guys.

"Robb!" I called out after him.

"Talisa, stay back."

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" Said one of the guys, feigning terror. The other guy just laughed.

"Come to defend the honour of your girlfriend?" said the first guy.

"Something like that." Said Robb, punching the guy in the face. The guy punched back and then they were in a full on fight. The second guy stopped laughing and joined in. I wanted to help but I wasn't much of a fighter. Better if I stay back and pick up the pieces when they're done. I wondered if I should call the police but then decided against it, since Robb was the one who started throwing punches. I watched from behind my fingers, hoping they wouldn't do too much damage to Robb. I was amazed to see that Robb actually looked like he was winning the fight. He threw one of the guys to the ground and the laughing one ran off, the other guy limping behind him.

I ran over to Robb. He was leaning over and his nose was bleeding. His shirt was also ripped.

"Come on," I said, "We'll go to my friend's house and fix you up. I don't think your nose is broken." He nodded and followed me. I drove us to the house of a fellow med student. He let us in and I got Robb to lie down on the couch. I checked his nose wasn't broken and also made sure he didn't have concussion. He just had a few bruises. He had been knocked around a bit and needed to rest.

"Thank goodness you're a doctor," he smiled. I knelt on the floor beside the couch.

"My parents didn't want me to be a doctor you know," Robb looked at me intently so I continued. "They didn't want me to go to university at all actually. They… well they're a bit old fashioned. They thought I should just get married and have children. There's nothing wrong with that… it's just not me."

"Why did you decide to become a doctor?"

"When I was nine, my brother almost drowned at the beach. One of the life guards gave him mouth to mouth and I thought it was a miracle. I decided that day that I wanted to save lives. I was smart enough to be a doctor, I had the grades so I thought, why not?"

"And why did you come to Texas? To LakeNorthfield?" he asked, repeating the question he asked me on the day we first met.

"My family moved to America when I was eleven. They're quite wealthy and liked the thought of living in New York. When I told them I wanted to be a go to university and become a doctor, they practically disowned me. They told me they wouldn't pay for a penny of it and that I'd have to move out. So I told them fine. And I got as far away from them as possible. To be honest I don't really want them to find me. They'd never look for me in a place like this." I finished talking and looked at him. With the way I was sitting and him lying on the couch we were at eye level. I felt like he was gazing into my soul. I so wanted him to kiss me then but he sat up.

"You really should just rest," I said standing up.

"I feel fine," he said, also standing. He was a head taller than me and I had to look up at him. I raised my eyebrows in disapproval.

"I just have one more question." He said, taking a step towards me.

"Mm?"

"Who's that guy?"

"What guy?"

"The one who lives here."

"A friend from uni, he's studying medicine too."

"So not your boyfriend?"

"No, not my…" He cut me off by grabbing me and pulling me towards him and pressing his lips against mine. If only I could have stayed in that moment for all eternity.

The sound of my phone ringing brought me out of my reverie, and seeing that it was Robb I answered immediately.

"Oh thank goodness it's you," I said, relieved that he hadn't been killed by Waldina. "Where are you?"

"I'll be over soon." He hung up after that. The awful feeling of dread returned to the pit of my stomach. He didn't sound happy. Had something gone wrong? I waited nervously by the door till he arrived.

I wanted to run outside to greet him when I heard his car pull up. It was dark and raining but I would have done it had I known everything was alright. Instead I made my way to the kitchen and stood by the bench till I heard him knock.

"Come in," I called. He walked inside. "In the kitchen." I called again. I stared at my hands resting on the kitchen bench till he stood in the doorway. Please let him be smiling. Let me have misread his voice on the phone. I looked up. His look confirmed that all had not gone as planned. His eyes were full of regret and sorrow and I thought maybe even pity.

"What?" I managed to choke out.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He moved to put his arms around me but pulled away.

"What happened?"

"I… she's pregnant. We can't do this anymore. I'm staying with Waldina." He whispered the words, like that would lessen the impact, make them hurt less. Even though I knew it from the moment I heard his voice on the phone, I wasn't ready for those words. I tried to hold back the tears but once one crept over the threshold, the rest came pouring out. I looked down at the floor. I didn't want him to see my tears. I didn't say anything. I knew that if I started talking, I would just start screaming and I didn't want to start a fight.

"Talisa…"

"Please, don't say my name."

"I'm so sorry. I can't see you anymore."

"That's fine. I don't want to see you ever again anyway." I looked up at him then, eyes still full of tears, but somehow full of hate, or something close to it.

"I wish there was something I could say to make this right."

"Well there isn't. God, Robb, how could you do this? More to the point, how could I _let _you do this? I can't believe I've been such an idiot. I should have held on to my pride. I should have never let you lie to me." I started yelling.

"None of this is your fault, I'm to blame, I'm so sorry."

"Would you stop apologising? It's fine Robb. You love her and she loves you. She's so fricking perfect, beautiful, probably never gets mad. Maybe I should have been more like her."

"No, Talisa. I love… her. Yes, you're right. But you should never be like her. I just… I'm just trying to do what an honourable man would do." I knew he was thinking of his father then. His father had no honour either, or had he forgotten his bastard brother, Jon? I wanted to say so, but I knew that would be too far. No matter how much anger and hurt I felt right now, I loved him, or else I wouldn't be feeling anything at all.

"You don't look much like a man from where I'm at, much less an honourable one." I said instead. I'd stopped yelling, I almost whispered these words. I shook my head and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Get out, Robb." I watched him walk back towards the front door. He glanced back once, but I just stared stonily past him. As soon as I heard his car start I broke into tears again and slid down the bench onto the floor. I sat there and cried for hours, wishing I was Waldina.


	4. Time to get a Gun

**Note - Hi anyone reading this! I don't know if many people are reading this story but thank you if you are! I would love any feedback you have, but I am going to finish it regardless :)**

**Gendry is introduced in this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Four: Time to Get a Gun**

_Time to get a gun, that's what I've been thinking_

_I could afford one if I did just a little less drinking_

_Time to put something between me and the sun_

_When the talking is over, it's time to get a gun._

**_Bran:_**

****I don't know if it was the dream or the barking of the dogs that woke me that night. It wasn't the same dream that I'd been having for months, the one where I was pushed out of a tower by an unknown hand, falling for what seemed like an age, only to wake before I hit the bottom. That dream had ceased to scare me. The new one was worse.

We were all at the circus watching an act. Robert Baratheon was in the ring with a whip, surrounded by lions. He was smiling, getting the lions to do his bidding just like an ordinary lion taming act. But then the lions turned on him, tore him to shreds. My father got up, I tried to stop him but not only could my legs not work, my arms couldn't either. Daddy jumped into the ring and the lions backed off for a second. The lions seemed to signal to each other then suddenly they were all over him like they had been all over Mr. Baratheon. When the lions ran off, the ring was empty, Dad was gone, and that's when I woke up.

I could hear our dogs barking, all five of them. I was suddenly worried. I wanted to see Mama. Dad was dead, I could feel it. My dream showed it to me.

I sat myself up and looked at the time. 12:04. It was late, too late to wake Osha, the housekeeper and my helping hand. Though sometimes I wondered if she ever slept.

I turned the light on to see where my wheelchair was. Thankfully it was close enough to my bed to reach. I managed to drag myself into it. My upper body strength had grown considerably in the last two years. I wheeled myself into the hallway and towards my mother's room, only to find Osha coming towards me, confirming my belief that she never slept.

"What are you doing out of bed so late?" she asked. "That nightmare again?" Osha was one of the people who knew about my nightmares. I'd told Mama and Daddy about the first dream after it had been recurring for several nights. They told me not to worry about it, that it was just a nightmare, nothing to be afraid of. I hadn't mentioned it since. It seemed silly to be afraid of nightmares at fifteen years old anyway. But Osha didn't think it was silly. Osha believed in things like dreams. I asked her if she was a witch once, but she just laughed. The only other person who believed me about my dreams was Arya. I thought Rickon would too, but he was only ten and I didn't want to scare him.

"No. A different one. It was Daddy, he's dead. I dreamed it. I need to go and tell Mama."

"Your father's not dead Bran, he's in Austin. He'll be back tomorrow."

"But the lions…"

"There's no lions in Texas, you've nothing to worry about." She knelt down beside my wheelchair. "Let's take you back to bed, you can tell me about the dream and I'll tell you if it means anything. No sense in waking your mama to tell her something we don't know for sure." She waited for me to nod my head in agreement before standing and leading me back to my room. She helped me get into bed, then I recounted me dream to her as she sat on the end of the bed.

"… and then the lions were gone and so was Dad." We were silent for a few Moments. "Does it mean anything?" I finally asked.

"No, my boy, it's nothing. Your father's fine." I could see in her eyes that she was lying.

"The lions. It means the Lannisters, doesn't it?" I said, thinking of the coat of arms of the Lannisters, a big gold lion on a red shield. Osha was silent.

"It could be, Bran. But it doesn't mean something has happened to your father. You're just concerned for him that's all. You don't trust the Lannisters, and he's surrounded by them, that's all it means." I was at ease for a second until I saw the uncertainty in her eyes. "Goodnight, Bran," she said, turning the light out and closing the door as she left the room.

"Goodnight, Osha," I whispered back, dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

**_Arya: _**

We arrived home at lunch time, Mama, Bran and Rickon were in the downstairs lounge with our next door neighbour, Mary. Our house towered over Mary's tiny place. She was about 40 and she lived with her two kids who were similar ages to Bran and I.

Mary was sitting in one of the arm chairs with a cup of tea, while Mama and my brothers were on the couch.

"I heard the dogs barking but I didn't think anything of it, they bark so much you know. I figured it was an animal of some kind," Mama was saying.

"You think you're safe and then something like this happens! You know I think I'll have to start locking the doors from now on when we go away!" said Mary. I rolled my eyes as I sat between Bran and Rickon on the couch. Daddy was still outside and Sansa had gone straight up to her room when got home. I thought Mary was an idiot. She always did stupid things like leave her doors unlocked. She was too trusting and gullible.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Bran as Mama and Mary continued talking.

"The Karstark's car got stolen last night." Bran whispered back. The Karstark's were our neighbours on our other side.

"So what's Mad Mary doing here?" I asked him. Bran raised his eyebrows at me.

"Grow up," he said, "she's freaking out. Thinks she'll be next."

"Things like this keep happening, I'm telling you, we have to do something!" Mary was saying, "First Bran's so-called 'accident'…"

"That was almost two years ago, Mary." Mama interjected.

"… then Robert Baratheon's death, not far from here, and now this! I'm worried for myself and my kids."

"What were you thinking of doing?" I think Mama was getting a little impatient with Mary, though she was doing her best not to show it. Mary always made a big deal of nothing and she was full of conspiracy theories.

"I think it's time to get a gun. I never owned one before and my father never did, but desperate times call for desperate measures!"

"Mary, these are hardly desperate times, and getting a gun isn't exactly a desperate measure. Most people around here already have several guns. Ned has a shot gun and we keep a revolver in case of emergencies. It's common sense to own one." Mama's annoyance was beginning to show.

"Hmph. Fine. I'll be going now." Mary set her tea cup on the coffee table and Mama showed her to the door. Rickon scampered from the room to go and do god knows what, leaving just Bran and I on the couch.

"I had a dream last night. A nightmare. Dad was dead. Torn apart by lions. I think they represented the Lannisters," Bran said, not looking at me. For some reason I always trusted Bran's dreams.

"So you think the Lannisters are going to tear Daddy apart." Bran nodded.

"Not literally, of course. But they're evil. I know it now more than ever."

I agreed with him. The Lannisters were pure evil. "She's got a point you know." I said turning to him.

"Who?"

"Mad Mary."

"I don't see how anything she said had any point at all."

"Getting a gun!"

"Mama just said…"

"Not for Mama and Daddy, for me. Where do you think I could get one?"

"How should I know? This is a stupid idea Arya. For one thing, I don't think seventeen year olds are allowed to own guns. For another, you don't even know how to use one."

"I could learn."

"Arya listen to me, as your younger and wiser brother I am telling you this is a bad idea. Forget it now." I knew Bran was probably right, he usually was, but I couldn't shake the idea that I might need one. Bran could see that I hadn't given up the idea.

"Arya, people as reckless as you shouldn't own guns."

"Ugh. I'm older than you; I'll do what I want. We need to defend ourselves!" I ran from the room then, leaving him calling after me. I passed Sansa on my way up the stairs.

"Hey Sans, do you know where I can get a gun?" She glared at me, evidently still annoyed that I had told her she shouldn't marry Joffrey. Well, two could play at that game.

"Don't call me that." She said and stalked down the stairs.

"Stupid." I said under my breath, rolling my eyes. I went to Daddy first. He was still outside, Mama was with him, evidently filling him in about the events of last night.

"Daddy, can I have a gun?"

"Absolutely not!" That was Mama.

"Daddy?" Daddy looked at Mama.

"I don't think that's wise honey. You're only seventeen. You don't need a gun."

"I'm nearly eighteen!"

"The answer's still no. Maybe when you're older." Mama and I both frowned at that, for different reasons obviously. I sighed and went back into the house. It seemed I would have to find a gun some other way.

After searching what seemed like every available room I finally found the person I was looking for in the laundry.

"Osha."

"Yes?"

"Where can I get a gun?"

"What would you need a gun for?"

"For protection."

"Protection against what?"

"… The Lannisters." Osha laughed then. She stopped pulling clothes out of the washing machine and looked at me.

"I suppose you asked your Daddy and he said no, am I right?" I nodded. "You, know I really shouldn't go against the word of Mr. Stark."

"But you will." She laughed again.

"You know I could never refuse any of you Stark kids. Wait here a minute." She left the laundry and came back a few minutes later and came back with a piece of paper with an address written on it. She held it out to me and I reached out to grab it but she snatched it back at the last second.

"I don't want you to think I'm taking this lightly. A gun is not a toy Arya. I'm doing this because I know you'll most likely get one somehow anyway and also, I think a young girl should have some kind of protection. I think you can handle this, and I have faith in you that you will only use it when completely necessary. This is not a game. Please be careful."

She handed me the paper then. I'd never seen Osha so serious. I took all her words to heart. I suddenly had second thoughts about the whole thing. She was right, a gun wasn't a toy and this wasn't a game. But then my second thoughts vanished. I could handle this. A gun was a necessary asset in Texas.

I looked at the piece of paper. The address was in Amarillo, some private gun dealership. I looked back to Osha. She still had a very serious look on her face.

"Thank you. I promise I won't let you down." I put the paper in my pocket and ran to find my parents.

"Mama! Daddy!" I called, walking around the house.

"In here!" I heard Mama call. She was in her study, reading a book. She took off her reading glasses when I entered.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked.

"He's gone to Amarillo."

"That's funny, I was just about to tell you I was going there. What's he gone for?"

"Business of some kind. He said he'd only be gone an hour at the most. Why are you going?"

"I'm going to see some friends." Mama looked at me disapprovingly. She didn't like my friends. Most of them were older than me, and boys, and Mama thought they were a bad influence. She was probably right. She knew she couldn't stop me going though.

"Alright. Be back before dark though. And be safe. Don't let those boys make you do anything you don't want to do."

"I can take care of myself."

"That's what I'm worried about," she got up and kissed me on the head. "I love you, have a nice time."

"Love you too, bye!"

**_Gendry:_**

****I was out the back of the store when I heard the bell ring, signalling that someone had entered the store. I was the only one there, the boss had taken the day off seeing as we didn't get a lot of customers on the weekend, so I headed out the front to serve the customer. It was a scruffy looking guy, wearing all black, along with dark shades on his eyes.

"Hey there, can I help you?" I asked.

"Are you Gendry Waters?" the man asked gruffly.

"Yes…" I responded warily.

"I'm Yoren. We spoke on the phone."

"Yoren, of course. Great to finally meet you. Do you want to come around the back so we can talk?"

"We can talk here fine. Now kid, I listened to your stuff, you're pretty good. Good enough to make it in the industry even." He lit up a cigarette.

"You can't smoke in here." I told him. He didn't pay me any attention.

"However, you aren't good enough to make it on your own. No one wants to hear a great guitarist with semi-par vocals. You need a band." I nodded as he spoke. "I'm taking a group of guys to LA in a month. If you want to you can come, free of charge. You might meet your guys on the bus, you might not. But one thing's for sure, you'll never be a famous musician if you stay in Amarillo."

He was right of course. If I ever wanted to make something of myself I had to get out of the town I grew up in. It's not like there was anything holding me back. I had no family to speak of and no friends. Just the lousy job of working in a gun shop, getting paid minimum wage. There was nothing to lose, I might as well go for it.

"Can I think about it?" I said instead.

"Sure, no problem. You got a month to decide." I nodded.

At that moment a customer walked in. I recognised him as Eddard Stark, wealthy owner of pretty much everything in the northern half of the state. I'd seen him in the paper a few times and from what I'd seen and heard he seemed like a pretty down to earth guy for someone so rich. I was about to address him, but Yoren beat me to it.

"Well if it isn't Ned Stark, warden of the North!" Yoren laughed. Ned laughed too and I guessed it must have been some kind of inside joke.

"Yoren, it's been too long! What are you doing these days?"

"Same as always. Recruiting kids to make into rockstars. This here's my newest victim." Yoren gestured to me. Ned glanced at me for the first time. He frowned for a second as if trying to figure out where he'd seen me before, then turned back to Yoren.

"Made any rockstars lately?" Ned asked.

"Not for a couple years now. I reckon I've got a few good ones this time though. We're heading to LA in a month, then I'm taking another bus to Nashville a few weeks after that. I do country stars now too. Had better luck there, but most of my kids want to go to LA."

"Well, good luck old friend," Ned shook Yoren's hand.

"You too Ned. I'll see you around." Yoren left the shop then and Ned turned to me. He approached the counter slowly, studying my face as he did so. It was a little disconcerting to have someone look at me so closely. He glanced at my name tag.

"Gendry," he said, "what's your last name Gendry?"

"Waters," I answered, though I wasn't sure why he was asking.

"Hm. I thought I might know your father."

"I'd like to know him too, sir." I said, it was meant to be a joke but it didn't really work, as I half meant the words.

"What about your mother?"

"Dead." I said simply. Ned continued looking at me.

"Who raised you?"

"I was raised in foster care. Got moved around to a few different families. Now I live alone and work here." I didn't know why I was telling him my life story, but he was interested and it was nice to have someone act like they cared about me. Ned nodded and I thought I saw recognition dawn in his eyes.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-three." Ned nodded again, like this confirmed it. Though I didn't know what it was.

"I'm looking for a gun for my daughter. Something small, just so she can defend herself if she needs to." Ned said, changing the subject.

"Well we have a number of handguns that you can choose from…" I started. I pulled out a NAA .22 magnum mini revolver. "This might suit your purposes. It's the smallest one we stock." I proceeded to tell him the other features of the gun. "There are better guns, but if you want small…"

"This one will be fine." Ned paid for the gun and purchased some bullets as well. "Thanks for your help, Gendry."

Not fifteen minutes after he had gone, I heard the bell tinkle again. A young girl with dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail walked in. I'd never seen her before, but she walked in like she owned the place.

"You look familiar." Was the first thing she said.

"You don't." I replied. Although come to think of it, she kind of did look familiar.

"I want a gun." She stated. I laughed. "What's so funny?"

"How old are you? You look like you're fourteen. I don't sell guns to people under eighteen."

"I'm twenty-one."

"No you aren't."

"Yes I am!"

"Can I see some ID please?"

"No."

"Well sorry, no gun for you."

"Fine, I'm not twenty-one," she conceded. "I am eighteen though. So you can sell me a shotgun." I raised my eyebrows at her. She didn't look eighteen. "Fine, I'm seventeen, but I turn eighteen in two weeks!" She pulled out her driver's license. Her thumb was covering most of her name but her photo and the date of birth showed her to be telling the truth this time.

"You're still underage. I can't sell you a gun."

"Please! I really need one. I swear I am in danger. No one believes me but something bad is going to happen. The Lannisters…" she trailed off.

"The Lannisters what?"

"Nothing."

"Who are you? What have the Lannisters got to do with you?"

"I'm… Arry. Arry Lambert. And the Lannisters are nothing. I just feel that I'm in real danger. And if you don't sell me a gun I will find some other way to get one."

She seemed genuinely afraid that she was in danger. She had clearly lied about her name, and whether that was because she thought the Lannisters were after her, or because she didn't want me to know her name, or some other reason completely I didn't know. I was certain that she would find some other way to get a gun though.

"Fine. I'll sell you a shot gun, but we're going to pretend you bought it two weeks from now, okay?" I said. She nodded. As soon as she left the shop I regretted selling her the gun. If anyone found out I was sure to get in trouble. But there was nothing I could do now, I'd already sold it to her.

Now I just had to figure out whether to go to LA or not.


	5. Me and Charlie Talking

**Chapter Five: Me and Charlie Talking**

_Funny how time and distance change you_

_The road you take don't always lead you home_

_You can start a love with good intentions_

_And you look up and it's gone_

**_Robb:_**

****I didn't want to take any attention away from Sansa and her engagement, but I had to tell my family that Waldina was pregnant at some stage. The truth was I was putting it off because if I told them it would all become too real. I wasn't sure what their reaction would be either.

I'd told Theon the day after I'd left Talisa. He noticed I wasn't myself and started trying to cheer me up with dirty jokes and tales of his sexual exploits.

"Theon. Stop it."

"What? Just trying to get a smile on your face. What's up anyway?" He finally gave up on the foolishness and sat on his front porch with me.

"Waldina's pregnant."

"No fricking way! That's shit man."

"Is it? I'm not sure… shouldn't I be happy?" Theon thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure you should. Any anyway, it doesn't matter how you should feel. You don't feel happy, I think that's an indication of how you feel about this entire relationship to be honest."

"I love Waldina." I said automatically, without any real conviction in my voice.

"Then why have you been sneaking round with that chick who works at the quick stop?" Theon raised his eyebrows knowingly.

"Damn, you do know about that." I'd kind of suspected it, but to have it confirmed proved I wasn't as sneaky as I'd hoped. At least Waldina hadn't figured out _who _I'd been sleeping with. Hopefully only Theon knew that piece of information.

"I've covered for you enough times, I'm not that stupid that I couldn't figure it out." He said. I nodded.

"It's over between us now. Waldina found out, and now that she's pregnant I can't leave her."

"Doesn't mean you can't still have someone on the side. You'll just have to be more sneaky next time." Trust Theon to say something like that. I shook my head.

"I can't do that to either of them. It's time to start acting like a grown up." Theon seemed to understand.

"You always were the more mature of the two of us." He laughed then, and continued telling me about his latest conquest.

Two days later I still hadn't told my parents. Waldina was sick of me keeping it a secret, so it was time to tell them the news. The next day was Sansa's engagement party so if I didn't tell them now, it would have to wait another two days.

I sat them down in their living room. They both had looks of concern on their face, I hadn't told them what I wanted to talk to them about and they were probably expecting the worst.

"Mama, Dad, Waldina's pregnant." I blurted. Best to just get it out in the open. Mama and Dad didn't say anything for a few seconds as they took in the information. Mama spoke first.

"Oh Robb, that's wonderful! Will you be moving the wedding up then?" she gushed. The question took me by surprise.

"I hadn't thought about it to be honest." I said truthfully.

"Well, it would probably be best to have it in the next month so that Waldina doesn't look like she's pregnant. Of course it will be obvious to everyone why you've moved the wedding up, but it's going to be obvious either way, and this way she can still wear the dress she wanted to." I nodded, overwhelmed at the sudden change in plans. Dad still hadn't said anything.

"Dad?" I said, turning to him.

"Congratulations, Robb. This is what I've always wanted for you. You and Waldina are going to be so happy together. And you're mother's right, the wedding should probably be moved up." He said all the words that needed to be said, but somehow they didn't feel genuine. A wave of doubt washed over me. Was Dad disappointed in me? That was the last thing I wanted.

"I can help Waldina with wedding plans, of course, but it will have to wait till after we get back from Austin. You're both coming to the engagement party, aren't you?" Mama continued.

"Yes we are. Anyway now that you know, I'd best get back home to Waldina." I said in order to get away from Mama. She was freaking me out with her wedding talk. I didn't go back to Waldina though. I just drove around for a few hours. I almost drove to Talisa's house but I managed to control myself. That kind of decision would be destructive for everyone involved. But it was so hard to keep her off my mind. I'd be daydreaming about her, then Waldina would say something baby related and my fantasy would come crashing down.

I hoped when the baby came things would be different. Surely I'd be too busy to even think about Talisa.

**_Sansa:_**

I stared at my reflection. My red hair was up and a few tendrils curled around my face. It was adorned with a comb studded with diamonds. My black dress showed no cleavage but it had a slit that went all the way up to my thigh. I touched the necklace on my throat, given to me by Joffrey. It was beautiful but I was rather surprised that he'd managed to pick out something that wasn't huge and showy. The necklace was just a simple pendant in the shape of a snowflake on a chain.

A memory suddenly came back to me, of another engagement party, to another boy. I flashed back to being ten years old, playing in the woods behind my house with my first boyfriend and neighbour, Charlie. He'd proposed to me with a ring made out of a piece of aluminium foil. I'd said yes of course and we'd run back to my parents to announce the fantastic news. My parents had laughed and congratulated us.

"You're only ten, you'll have to wait a few years till you can have the wedding!" That was Daddy, ever practical, even in the face of young love.

"Why don't we have engagement party though?" Mama suggested and Charlie and I nodded in glee.

That night Charlie's mother and my family, my friend Jeyne and Robb's friend Theon congregated in our living room. We were all dressed to the nines and country music was blaring from the stereo. Everyone congratulated us on our engagement and told me my ring was beautiful, and how much it must have cost! Even Arya played along, normally preferring to act like a little brat and spoil all my fun.

I smiled at the memory of that night and how Charlie and I had sworn we'd never let our love run dry, like so many did these days. But three years later Charlie's mother had passed away and his father packed him and his brother up and they disappeared to God knows where. Charlie and I exchanged emails for a while but my last few emails had gone unanswered and I'd eventually given up.

On our last night together he'd told me he would come back for me some day and of course I believed him. I'd sang him the song Arya and I had written together.

_I'll follow you anywhere_

_Take me there_

_I'll be the one to set you free_

_Let me_

He left the next day and I never saw him again. It's funny how time and distance change you. We must have just grown apart, or got too busy. Or maybe they were just excuses for the real reason, which was we just weren't in love anymore. Although at fifteen with my childish heart, I still did think I loved him.

I think about him now and then, and how different that kind of love was from what I felt for Joffrey. I was such I silly child back then, I guess I mistook friendship for love. But of course they aren't the same thing. What Joffrey and I had was real love, I was sure of it. I adored him because he was handsome and strong and I knew he would take care of me like a man should. Joffrey was a prince and I was a princess and this was my dream come true.

Mama came into the room then to see if I was ready to go. I nodded and followed her out of the room, my mind solely focused on my husband to be and the beautiful engagement party we were about to have.

The Baratheons were already at the ballroom when we arrived along with most of the guests. The way the venue was set up required me to walk down a staircase to get to the dance floor where all the guests were milling around and everybody applauded as I descended. I was grinning from ear to ear, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.

Joffrey took my hand when I reached the bottom and lead me out onto the dance floor. I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't even know what song was playing. I'd forgotten about my family the minute I'd walked through the doors. I put my head against Joffrey's chest and we swayed to the music and I felt that if I died right then I would die happy.

Throughout the night I made an effort to talk to everyone there, while still managing to dance a lot. I was feeling quite hot and decided to take a spell from the crowded room and started down the hallway towards the bathroom. I was close to the bathroom when I saw the Hound coming towards me. He stopped when we reached each other.

"Congratulations, Sansa." He rasped.

"Thank you. So glad you could make it." I recited the same words I had been saying to everyone all night. He just laughed and I remembered what he had said to me on the day of Robert's funeral. I was annoyed that he thought I was fake, and even more annoyed that I seemed to care what he thought.

"Nice necklace." He stated, changing the subject.

"Thank you, isn't it beautiful? It was a present from Joffrey."

"I know."

"Right. You were probably there when he bought it." I said awkwardly. He laughed again.

"Yeah. I was there alright. When _he _bought it. Too bad he wasn't there."

"What are you saying?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Your boy doesn't like picking jewellery. He delegates."

"Are you saying you picked this out?" I said, taken aback. He just shrugged and walked away. The conversation was over. Was that true? Did Joffrey send someone else to choose a present for his fiancée? And why did Sandor feel the need to tell me?

**_Arya:_**

I downed another glass of champagne and shoved the glass into the pot plant I was standing near. If there was one good thing about this engagement party it's that my parents had all their attention focused on Sansa and weren't keeping an eye on me or how much I was drinking. I had just had my fourth glass of champagne and was feeling lightheaded.

Sansa had just passed me in the hallway and I'd shrunk against the wall in the hopes she wouldn't see me. I was amazed she'd taken the time away from her precious fiancé, even to go to the bathroom. I was sickened by the fact that I'd soon be related to that piece of trash, even if it was only by marriage. Why wouldn't Sansa open her stupid eyes and see what an asshole he was?

I myself hadn't danced all night, preferring to stand in the corner and drink, although I'd been asked to dance twice and my parents had encouraged me to. At present I was hiding in an alcove in a hallway on the way to the bathroom. I felt uncomfortable in the dress I was wearing, it was too tight and showed too much cleavage and my heels were too high. I hated everything about this kind of affair. The dressing up, the small talk, the music, the dancing and I hated just about everyone there, excluding my own family.

Bran and Rickon seemed to be having a good time for some strange reason, laughing and talking to people I'd never met and didn't care to. Sansa had tried to introduce me to some people but I'd just rolled my eyes and walked away. I felt bad because I knew Sansa was trying but there was no way I was going to pretend to be someone I wasn't, even for her sake. And especially not until she woke up and saw the true Joffrey.

The Hound sidled up beside me.

"What do you want?" I snarled.

"Nothing. Just trying to get away from the crowd."

"Can't stand to have them staring at your ugly face?"

"No, I'm used to that."

"Did you at least bring me a drink?"

"No." I rolled my eyes and gave a sigh. What was worse, being in this small space with Sandor Clegane without a drink or being surrounded by idiots making small talk with a drink? I decided on the latter and started back to the ballroom as Clegane was lighting a cigarette.

"You can't smoke in here." I said

"Who's going to stop me?" He shrugged.

"Well at least give me one." He handed one over but before I got to light it my mother came rushing down the hall. I shoved the cigarette down my cleavage and tried to look innocent and sober without much success. Mama didn't seem to notice.

"Come on Arya, they're about to give speeches!" I groaned and followed her back to the party, suddenly realising how drunk I was now that I actually had to walk. Despite this I grabbed another glass of champagne as a waiter passed.

Cersei Baratheon had the microphone and was blabbing on about her stupid son and how proud she was or some crap. She went to hand the microphone to Daddy but he declined, saying he would wait till the wedding for any speeches. Joffrey took the microphone instead.

"Thank-you all for coming tonight, it means so much to me. I love Sansa with all my heart and I know she's the only one for me and I'm so glad I get to share it with all my friends and family. When we're married I will never let her get away, because she is certainly something very special. Thanks again!" He gave the microphone to Sansa and sauntered away. At least his dumb speech was short. Sansa's speech however seemed to go on and on. Towards the end of it I noticed Joffrey sneaking off and for some reason, maybe the alcohol, I felt the urge to follow him.

As surreptitiously as I could I tailed Joffrey down the hallway I had been hiding in before. I turned a corner and couldn't see him anywhere, I realised I'd lost him. I was about to turn and go back to listen to the rest of Sansa's speech when I heard a giggle. I followed the sound and gradually the sound of whispers grew louder till I was faced with a scene I truly did not want to see.

In an alcove identical to the one I had been hiding in earlier, a woman I didn't know was against the wall with her lips on Joffrey's and his hand up her dress.

Stupidly, instead of running to get someone, I drew attention to the fact that I was standing there.

"Oh my god!" I announced loudly. Joffrey and the woman immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to me.

"What the fuck?" shouted Joffrey, stepping away from the woman and coming towards me. "What are you doing?"

"What am _I_ doing?" I said disbelievingly. "What are _you _doing, you bastard! On your engagement night! How dare you do this to my sister!" I ran toward him and pushed him with all my might. I must have caught him off guard because he stumbled backwards and tripped and fell. Not wasting a chance, I jumped on him and started punching wherever I could hit. It took him a minute to start fighting back but even when he did, I was still winning as I had him pinned to the ground.

"Don't just stand there, go and get someone!" Joffrey shouted at the girl. She ran off as I continued to hit him. He eventually got free and stood up, flipping me to the ground. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up, then slapped me across the face hard, his fingers still digging into my wrist. I kicked him in the shins, although I would have liked to have hit harder, and he loosened his grip enough for me to get free. I went to hit him again but he was too quick and he grabbed me and pulled me against him, restraining me so I couldn't move my arms. I could hear footsteps coming down the hall by this stage. I bit into Joffrey's arm and he swore and released me. I grabbed the pot plant and threw it at him, although it was much heavier than I'd originally thought. It smashed into his shoulder just as Sansa, Daddy, Cersei and a host of other people came pouring down the hallway. Joffrey lunged for me but I ducked away.

"Stop it both of you! You're spoiling everything!" cried Sansa. She grabbed for Joffrey's arm but he swung out at her, hitting her in the eye with his fist. I stopped trying to fight him then. The whole crowd which previously had been shouting for us to stop went silent and I think then Joffrey realised what he'd done. He glowered at me as though it was my fault, before turning to Sansa.

"Oh I'm so sorry darling! I didn't mean to hurt you. You know I would never purposefully hurt you." He gushed. Was I the only one who heard the insincerity in his voice? One look at my father's face told me I wasn't.

"I know you wouldn't. I'm alright, it's fine." Sansa placed her hand on Joffrey's arm. But it wasn't fine. "What about you? You're hurt!" Sansa was referring to the shoulder I had thrown the plant at. For the first time I noticed it was bleeding, obviously from where the pot had smashed and created a cut.

"You stupid girl!" Cersei rushed forward to Joffrey. "He'll probably need stitches for this!" She glared at me. She took Joffrey's arm and lead him away.

"I'm taking Joffrey to the hospital. This party is over!" She announced. The crowd dispersed except for me and Sansa.

"How could you Arya?" She looked so hurt.

"Sansa, Joffrey… I saw him… he was…" I tried to explain what I'd seen but the words wouldn't come to me.

"Save it Arya. I don't need your excuses."

"But Sansa! He was kissing another woman! I saw him!" I blurted out. Sansa looked shocked for a second, searching my face to see if I was telling the truth.

"You're drunk Arya, I doubt you even know what you saw." And with that she turned and walked away. I just stood there, feeling defeated, until Daddy came to find me. He put his arm around my shoulders and gently lead me out of the building.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly. I shrugged. I was fine physically, even if Joffrey had tried to beat me to a pulp. I was hurt though. Hurt that my own sister didn't believe me. I had a reason to hate him now and I'd told her but she wouldn't listen! I didn't say any of this to Daddy though.

"I hate Joffrey." I said instead.

"I know." Daddy replied, and although he didn't say it aloud, I knew he hated him too.

"We can't let her marry him!" I wailed.

"We can't stop her either. We've just got to hope she sees the light before it's too late."

"Can't you talk to her?" Daddy shook his head.

"We both know she won't listen to me. You girls are different in so many ways but you've got one thing in common. You're both stubborn as a bull." He smiled at squeezed my shoulders. He opened the door of the car for me and I got in next to Rickon. Sansa had gone to the hospital with Joffrey and Robb and Waldina were in their own car. I felt sad that our family was a little smaller than before.


	6. Heart Like Mine

**Chapter Six: Heart Like Mine**

_'Cause I heard Jesus, he drank wine_

_And I bet we'd get along just fine_

_He could calm a storm and heal the blind_

_And I bet he'd understand a heart like mine_

**_Sansa:_**

The only thing I'd said to Arya since arriving home from Austin was "Happy Birthday." Although it wasn't my home anymore since I had moved in with Joffrey the day after the engagement party.

I'd bought Arya perfume as her birthday present, though we hadn't given presents yet. Not because I didn't know her at all. Quite the opposite actually, I bought it for her because I knew it would annoy her, and I was still angry at the way she'd acted at my engagement party. I was being civil though, as civil as someone could be while refusing to speak to someone. Lucky she was making it easy by not saying anything to me either. I didn't know if this was because she knew I was angry with her or because she was also angry at me. Not that she had any right to be.

I carefully cut up the meat of the meal that was Arya's birthday dinner. Our whole family was there except Robb who had some prior engagement. We'd been silent while we were eating and I could feel a little tension in the air.

"So, Bran, how's school going?" I asked the first thing that came into my head.

"Great thanks. I'm still the top of the class in all my subjects, and I've joined the astronomy club."

"They have an astronomy club? That's interesting. Is it a recent thing?" I continued with this conversation in the hopes that someone else would join in and this family dinner wouldn't be so awkward.

"Not really, they've had it for a few years. I only just joined though." I couldn't think of anything else to say so we sat in silence for a few more minutes. Arya finished her meal and cleared her throat.

"I have something to show you and you aren't going to like it." She announced. Mama and Daddy glanced at each other as if to say "what now?"

Arya lifted her shirt exposing her stomach and the large howling wolf tattoo that ran down her side. No one said anything for a while.

"Nice!" Rickon was the first to speak. He seemed to genuinely love it. "I'm going to get one too! We can be wolf twins. Bran you should get one and we can be a pack!" Arya laughed, clearly pleased at his enthusiasm. Bran smiled too.

"You'll do nothing of the sort! Arya I don't know why you'd want to ruin your beautiful skin like that, but you're eighteen now and I can't stop you. I just hope you don't regret it in a few years time." I was surprised that Mama was so lenient! She was normally the strict one when it came to Arya. Surely Daddy would say ground her or something. I glanced at him and he seemed to have tears in his eyes.

"You know it's not something I'd approve of, but I love you anyway." Arya seemed happy enough with this response although clearly neither of our parents really liked it. I was annoyed that they hadn't had a bigger reaction.

"You can't be serious!" I cried. "It's ridiculous. You can't go around letting her pull stupid crap like this. She's run wild for long enough. You saw her at my engagement party! I would say one day she's going to hurt someone, but she already has!"

"Who?" asked Daddy. I stared at him in exasperation.

"Joffrey!"

"He deserved it! Honest to God Sansa that boy is bad news. I was trying to stick up for you!" Arya said defensively. I stood up.

"Stop trying to make it sound like you did something good! You've always hated him so now you're just making up lies to make it seem like you're a better person than him, but you're not! You're just so jealous that no one will ever love you or want to marry you! You smoke and you drink and you're a disgrace to this family. You're a brat and you need to grow up!" I finished my speech and the rest of the family were silent. I grabbed my handbag, left the present on the table and stormed out. I got in the car and began my drive back to Austin.

I'd had enough of Arya. I felt bad about what I said but I didn't know why. I knew everything I said was true. She needed to hear it. I hoped that one day she would see her mistakes and come to at least tolerate Joffrey and be nice for my sake.

**_Arya:_**

Sansa's words stung, although I put on a brave face.

"She's so stupid," was all I said after she'd slammed the door. Everyone glanced nervously at each other before Mama spoke.

"Do you want your presents now, sweetie?"

"Sure." I didn't really care about presents that much but at least it was a way to awkwardly pretend Sansa hadn't just screamed at me. I opened the present from her first, to get it out of the way. I rolled my eyes as I discovered it was Taylor Swift perfume. Robb had dropped off my present that morning and I opened that next.

_Happy Birthday from Robb and Waldina, _the card read. They'd given me $100.

Bran and Rickon gave me some t-shirts and a necklace with a guitar on it. I opened Mama and Daddy's present last. It was new guitar strings and $200.

"Thanks everyone." I said politely. I really did like all the presents but everything felt a bit melancholy after Sansa's outburst. "I think I'll go and re-string my guitar now." I smiled and gathered up the gifts and headed up to my room. I didn't re-string my guitar though. I opened the perfume for some weird reason and sprayed it onto my wrists. It actually smelled quite nice. I picked up my guitar, sat on my bed and began to play the song Sansa and I had written together years and years ago. It was funny that I still remembered it, as I hadn't played it in so long.

I didn't often sing, that was Sansa's thing but I found myself singing the words.

_I'll follow you anywhere_

_Take me there_

_I'll be the one to set you free_

_Let me_

_In the sky, on the ground_

_I will not let you down_

_Overhead, underneath_

_I will help you to breathe_

_In the day, or the night_

_It will all be alright_

_On the sand, or the sea_

_You know you can trust in me_

I heard a knock on my door and I stopped playing.

"Come in," I called. It was Daddy.

"That song sounds familiar. Have I heard it before?" he asked. I nodded.

"Sansa and I wrote it together. We did a concert for you once. Remember that?" I smiled at the memory and Daddy laughed. He came and sat beside me on the bed.

"That's right! You two were all dressed up and you made us all pay to watch you perform. It was worth the dollar!" We laughed together, but neither of us mentioned the fact that Sansa was different now.

Daddy pulled out a package from behind his back.

"I got you another present. You're not to tell your mother about this one though, okay?" He said seriously. I nodded. He gave it to me and when I unwrapped it I found that it was a gun. I thought of the one I talked the guy at the shop into selling me, tucked away in my bottom drawer and felt a little guilty.

"Thanks Daddy!" I threw my arms around him.

"You've got to be very careful, okay? I'm going to show you how to use it. But remember, it's a secret."

"Yes Daddy."

"Good girl." He ruffled my hair.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I… there's something I want to tell you. I've been thinking about this for a while and… I want to go to Nashville. I want to do music. I'm going to leave as soon as I can." I tried to sound strong. I wanted his approval but I also didn't want him to think I was asking permission. I was going no matter what. He was silent for a while. I glanced over at him. For the second time that day I saw tears in his eyes. I pretended not to notice. Finally he spoke.

"I knew this day would come, but I didn't know it would be so soon."

"You knew?"

"Of course. You'd never be happy staying here. You need adventure."

"So you're not mad?"

"No sweetie, I'm proud of you. But don't leave just yet. We'll get you sorted out first." He gave me hug.

"Daddy?" I hesitated. "What Sansa said…"

"She didn't mean any of it, don't you worry." Daddy said reassuringly.

"But about the drinking… and the smoking… I don't… well I mean I hate to admit it but I do but… well I don't want you to think less of me."

"You know, I heard Jesus drank wine. I bet you'd get along just fine. I think he'd understand a heart like yours. And so do I. We were all young once. Just be careful, okay?"

"Thanks Daddy. I love you."

"Now why don't you play me the rest of that song?"

_For as long as it takes_

_ Make me wait_

_ You'll always be in my heart_

_ Tear me apart_

_In the sky, on the ground_

_I will not let you down_

_Overhead, underneath_

_I will help you to breathe_

_In the day, or the night_

_It will all be alright_

_On the sand, or the sea_

_You know you can trust in me_

_ Don't leave, please, I can't believe I'm so naïve_

_ Just wait, I hate this taste, our fate is late_

_ It's fine, I'm blind, you're mine but only in my mind_

_ You'll see we'll be you and me on the sand or sea_

_**Gendry:**_

****I heard the tail end of a conversation as I was waiting in Yoren's offices on a Saturday afternoon. It was still two weeks until I had to tell him if I was coming to LA or not, but I had made my decision. It was a no-brainer really. There was nothing here for me. My job was alright but nothing special and I had no family, I may as well go for it, even if I failed miserably.

I was sitting in the on a leather couch outside his actual office when the door opened and the conversation made its way to my ears.

"You'll take her to Nashville then?" the man at the door was saying.

"Anything for you, Ned." Yoren replied. Ned Stark?

"I know she'll be safe with you." Ned stepped out into the hallway and Yoren followed. I pretended to be reading a magazine.

"You've said that already. I don't know what you're so worried about though. She's eighteen, and from what I've heard she can take care of herself."

"What have you heard?" Ned seemed defensive.

"Nothing. She's just feisty, isn't she? And you bought her that gun. Taught her to use it yet?"

"Not yet. So do you want to meet her properly then? I'd like her to meet you before you go."

"Yes of course, how about we do it now? I'll come out to your place." Yoren suggested.

"Great." They began to walk towards me and the door. Yoren spotted me then. I stood up.

"Gendry! I didn't know you were here!" He glared at his receptionist. "Have you made a decision then?"

"Yes. I want to go to LA." I said simply.

"Good man! I'll call you later with the details, is that alright? I'm a bit busy right now."

"That's fine. I'll await your call." Yoren told his receptionist where he was going and ushered Ned and I from the building.


	7. Somewhere Trouble Don't Go

**Chapter Seven: Somewhere Trouble Don't Go**

_You know you could end up dead_

_Sleeping in the devil's bed_

_Sleeping in the devil's bed_

**_Bran:_**

****_The devil and his daughter were walking side by side. She was holding a doll in one hand and her father's hand in the other. Her blonde curls we tied with a red ribbon._

_ "Daddy, come to the river with me!" she said joyfully, dragging him to the bank beside the widest and deepest part of the river. Just then she dropped the doll and it was quickly swept away by the raging current. _

_ "Daddy, will you save her please?" she cried desperately. The devil was hesitant, unsure if he could survive the treacherous water._

_ "Of course sweetheart!" He said finally. His daughter kissed him on the cheek and he tied a rope from a tree branch to his waist and dived into the river. He had almost reached the doll when he felt the rope snap and he looked back and his daughter was standing there with scissors in her hand, smiling sweetly._

_ The devil swore and swam against the current and somehow made it back to land. He looked down on his daughter and smiled._

_ "Nice try but you can't kill me that easily. I guess I win the bet. Now what about the money?" He held out his hand. His daughter scowled._

_ "I ain't got time for this," she said. The devil laughed as he disappeared. _

_ Suddenly his daughter began to age, the ribbon became a crown and there stood Cersei Baratheon. The river was gone, and its place was a cage. In the cage stood my father. Cersei snapped her fingers and the cage was opened. Dad stepped out and a rope was put about his neck by Joffrey Baratheon. He tied it to a tree branch and the ground disappeared._

I woke with a start. My dreams were getting stranger and stranger, and this one scared me even more than the last one. I looked at the time, it was almost 8am, which meant Osha would be in soon. Sure enough I only had to wait a minute before she came to check on me. She always came to check on me in the mornings before school, although I no longer needed her help to dress myself or get around. I was getting pretty good at not using my legs.

She came and sat on the edge of my bed and I immediately spilled out the dream I had just had. Her expression was blank as I finished up my story.

"It doesn't mean anything, Bran." She said, but I could tell she was lying, again.

"Osha, you never used to lie to me! You don't need to protect me, I'm fifteen, not five!" I tried to sound forceful but somehow the words just made me sound like I really was five years old. Osha just shook her head.

Just then Dad knocked on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called and he walked into the room.

"Good morning, Mr. Stark," said Osha as she left the room.

"Good morning, Osha." Dad came over to my bed and sat where Osha had previously been sitting.

"What's wrong?" I asked, immediately thinking something terrible had happened.

"Nothing's wrong, Bran, I'm just letting you know that I have to go to Austin for a few days. I'll see you when I get back."

"Why do you have to go?"

"The police want to talk to me about Robert's death. They are now thinking it wasn't an accident and that I may be able to help them."

"But I thought they'd proved it was his own fault? Otherwise why did they bury the body if the case wasn't closed?"

"I don't know, Bran. I just want this to be over, so I'll see you in a few days." He sighed. I suddenly thought of my dreams and felt an overwhelming sense of dread. Rickon appeared in the doorway of my bedroom.

"Don't go," I said to Dad. "Dad, if you go to Austin, something bad is going to happen, I know it."

"Don't be silly, Bran, everything's going to be fine." He put his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't go, Dad!" Rickon ran into the room and threw his arms around our father. Dad laughed a little and hugged Rickon back. I put my arms around both of them.

"I love you boys, I'll see you when I get back." Dad let go and walked out of the room, leaving me and Rickon staring after him.

"He'd not coming back, is he?" Rickon whispered.

"Of course he is." I replied, but I did not believe it.

**_Sansa:_**

Daddy stayed with me and Joffrey while he was in Austin, instead of with Cersei like usual. I think he found it kind of awkward without me or Robert around, he never knew what to say to her. He never said so out loud but I had the feeling he never really approved of his best friend's choice of wife. He knew I liked her and looked up to her though so he would never say a bad word about her, and I appreciated that.

"I can go with Ned to the police station if you like," Joffrey offered on the morning that Daddy had to go in and talk about Robert. I found it a little strange that the case had appeared to be closed and now they were questioning people. I guessed they must have found some new piece of evidence that they hoped Daddy could shed some light on it.

"That would be lovely, baby," I said in response to Joffrey, giving him a little kiss. I thought Daddy might need some moral support and it would be good for him to spend some time with my future husband. Daddy was adamant he didn't need anyone to go with him but Joffrey and I insisted and he finally relented to let Joffrey drive him there.

While they were gone I got to wedding planning, taking out the folder I had bought especially and looking at the check list. To be honest, I had been planning my wedding since I was 5 years old so I expected it to be easy, but now that it had come down to it, I couldn't seem to make up my mind on anything.

I thought it was so great that both Robb and I would be married soon, and since Waldina was making plans for a wedding as well I had spent a lot of time on the phone to her. I had just got off the phone with her when Joffrey arrived home, alone.

"Where's Daddy?" was the first thing I said. Joffrey paused for a second and I felt by heartbeat quicken. I stood up.

"He's been arrested." Joffrey stated. For a moment I thought I saw a hint of something strange in his eye, that didn't quite fit with the information he was giving me, and it confused me for a second. Could it have been… glee? But then it was gone and his face was serious and I thought I must have imagined it.

"Arrested?" I asked, shocked. "What for?"

"Murdering my father." He frowned at me, almost as if he thought it might be my fault.

"What? No. This is impossible, Daddy would never…" Joffrey cut me off.

"Well he has hasn't he?" His tone was accusing.

"Joffrey," I walked over to him, my voice shaking, "there must be some mistake. The police…"

"Are very good at their job! Your father is a filthy murderer!" He spat. "I don't even want to look at you."

"Joffrey, please, this is crazy," I pleaded with him, trying to make him see reason. I grabbed his arm. "Joffrey…" He lifted his hand and slapped me hard across the face. I let go of his arm and clutched my face, staggering from the pain. I looked at him in shock, and he glared at me. It was a few seconds before he seemed to realise what he'd done.

"Oh my God, Sansa, are you alright? I'm so sorry. Of course it isn't your fault!" He took me in his arms and the Joffrey I knew was back, with no hint of the almost evil look in his eye that had been there only seconds before.

"I'm okay," I replied.

"I was just so overcome with grief. Your father did this you know. But I suppose you'll believe me when the trial is over." I still didn't believe that my father would kill his own best friend but I didn't want to reignite Joffrey's temper so I refrained from defending him again.

"When's the trial?" I asked instead.

"In two days."

"Two _days_?" I asked, incredulous. I wasn't that familiar with how these things worked but I was pretty sure it wasn't normally like this.

"My family wants this all over and done with. It's very embarrassing. I have to go. Hound!" he called. Sandor appeared in the doorway to the living room. "Get her some ice for her face. I don't need a bruised fiancée." With that he walked out the front door. Sandor led me to the couch and sat me down, then handed me a bag of frozen vegetables. When I just sat there holding them, he took them off me and pressed them to my face.

"How long were you there?" I asked, wondering how much he'd heard and whether he knew why I needed the ice.

"Long enough." He growled.

"He didn't mean it." Sandor was silent. "And my father…"

"I know."

**_Arya:_**

****Surely this was all a dream. There was no possible way my father was a murderer. I knew that the Lannisters must have had something to do with it. What possible evidence could they have that he did it? He wasn't even there!

The trial was meant to be tomorrow and Mama had decided I wasn't allowed to go. I tried to tell her I was eighteen and she couldn't stop me but she said Daddy wouldn't want me to see him like that. She may have been right but I was still annoyed that I couldn't go. I decided to go and visit him in prison instead. I didn't tell Mama because I knew she would have just said the same thing as what she said about the trial. I really needed to see him though.

"Daddy, I love you," I said as soon as I saw him.

"Arya, you shouldn't be here. Does your Mama know?" I shook my head. He smiled half heartedly. "Thanks for coming."

"Don't worry, your lawyer is going to get you off. You'll be out of here in no time. This is all wrong." His face got very serious then.

"Arya, listen to me. The Lannisters are after the highest sentence they can get."

"Which is what?" He closed his eyes for a second like he was trying to decide whether or not he should tell me.

"Death."

"There's no way they can do that!" I practically yelled.

"I don't want you to be frightened but I need to let you know that what is going on here is not normal. I'm sure the Lannisters have everyone in this state under their control, including the police and the courts. Arya, they will get away with this, and you can't be here to see it."

I couldn't comprehend what he was telling me. He seemed so calm and yet what he seemed to be saying was that he was going to receive the death penalty.

"Arya you need to leave the state. Do you remember that man, Yoren, I introduced you to? He is going to help you. You can trust him."

"Why? Where is he taking me?"

"Somewhere trouble don't go. I can't tell you anything else, because I'm sure it will get us both into trouble. Take care of your sister, she is in a dangerous position. Your Mama will look after your brothers." I had tears in my eyes and so did he. Surely this was not going to be the last time I saw my Daddy.

"This isn't right!" I cried, "They aren't doing this the proper way! There must be something we can do."

"I'm sorry, honey, there's nothing we can do without endangering you and your brothers and sister." The tears were streaming down my face now. I had been shouting before but suddenly I felt all the fight leave me.

"It isn't fair." I whispered.

"I know." Daddy got up and hugged me then, and a guard came in to separate us because we weren't supposed to touch each other. The guard lead Daddy out of the room and he glanced back at me and I knew he was thinking he was looking at me for the last time.


	8. New Strings

**Chapter Eight: New Strings**

_You said I wouldn't get too far_

_On a tank of gas and an empty heart_

_But I've got everything I'll ever need_

_I got this old guitar and a brand new set of strings._

**_Arya:_**

****I drove all the way home from Austin that night. I didn't bother telling anyone I was going, not even Mama. I got home late and Bran and Rickon were in bed asleep.

Daddy had told me I had to leave Texas and to trust a man named Yoren who I'd met once. I thought back to the day I'd met him. I was in my room playing my guitar when Rickon came in and told me Daddy wanted me to come downstairs to meet someone. When I arrived in the living room Daddy was standing there with a man I'd never seen before.

"Arya, this is Yoren. Yoren, my daughter, Arya." Daddy did the introductions, but I was still just waiting to see why I needed to be introduced to this man.

"Hi," I said, then looked at Daddy for an explanation.

"Yoren is a music agent among other things. He often takes budding musicians to Los Angeles and also Nashville and helps them get their music careers started. He's agreed to take you to Nashville in just over a month's time." Excitement filled my heart. I couldn't believe my luck. Not only did Daddy approve of me going to Nashville to try and make it in the country music industry, but he was actually helping me get there! This Yoren guy surely knew his stuff, Daddy said he did it often, and it was his job after all. I threw my arms around my father.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I said, hoping he knew how much I really meant it. He laughed and so did Yoren.

"Do you mind if I hear you play first? I want to know that I'm actually taking some talent with me." Yoren smiled. I nodded and ran to get my guitar which I had finally restrung with the new strings Daddy had given me for my birthday. I played him one of my favourite Miranda Lambert songs.

"_I bet this road will take me outta here,_

_ Take me far away from Amarillo_

_ I bet this car will go real fast_

_ The wheels might even drive me past_

_ The places that you said I'd never go_

_ Oh oh…."_

After hearing me play and sing Yoren decided I was good enough to take to Nashville. I had been nervous about my singing, since I was better at the guitar, but obviously I hadn't been that bad.

Now, only a few days later, this Yoren was taking me God knows where. Maybe he was taking me to Nashville like we'd planned, only earlier. I supposed I should call him and find out what was going on. When were we going? Where did I meet him. I had his number in my phone from that first meeting and I quickly made the call. He picked up almost immediately.

"Yeah?"

"Yoren? It's Arya Stark."

"Arya. Don't worry about anything. Pack your things, I'll be picking you up from your house in the morning. Don't tell anyone where you're going or who you're going with. In fact avoid all people if you can help it. I'll see you tomorrow." I ended the call and immediately got to packing a bag. I threw a heap of clothes in there, not really caring what they were. Obviously I was taking my guitar, and the gun Daddy had given me. I opened my underwear drawer to get it, and also some underwear and saw the shot gun I had bought before I knew Daddy was giving me a gun. I paused for a second and glanced at the Taylor Swift perfume sitting on top of the chest of drawers. I thought about what Daddy had said in his final speech to me.

"Take care of your sister, she's in a dangerous position." I knew there was no way I could protect Sansa myself, especially from another state, the least I could do was give her something to protect herself.

I sprayed the perfume on and put it in my bag with the clothes I'd packed and grabbed the shotgun as well as my own gun. I then got out my phone and called Yoren.

"Do you think we could go via Austin tomorrow?" He was silent for a while and I knew going to Austin must be out of the way.

"Why?" he finally asked.

"I need to give my sister something to protect herself with." He was silent again.

"Fine. Be ready to leave in an hour." I hung up and quickly packed the rest of the things I would need, before falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion.

**_Sansa: _**

****"Who the fuck was that?" I heard Joffrey shout, waking me from a peaceful slumber. Someone replied in a voice too low for me to understand.

"Don't give me that bull crap, some one was here, I heard you talking to them." He must be talking to Sandor, I thought, sometimes Joffrey had him stand guard at the front door all night if he was feeling particularly vulnerable.

The clock beside the bed said 8:27am. It wasn't really that early so I wasn't sure why Joffrey was so mad. I heard him scoff at whatever Sandor's reply was.

"Fucking Jesus freaks." He stormed back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He saw that I was awake and quickly changed his demeanour.

"Good morning, sweetheart." He said. He leaned over and kissed me. "I have to do some work today. Now that my father's gone, everyone wants me to take his place and run for office so I've got a lot to do. I'll see you at dinner tonight, meet me at the restaurant at seven thirty." I nodded and he kissed me again before he got dressed and headed out.

After he left I stayed in bed for a little while before I got up myself then went to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. As I was pouring the cereal into the bowl Sandor walked in. I was startled by his presence and almost spilled cereal all over the bench. I regained my composure after a second and managed to remember my manners.

"Good morning, Sandor. How are you?"

"Like you give a damn." I chose to ignore this statement.

"Joffrey already left, I would've thought you'd go with him."

"Is that your polite way of telling me to get lost, Little Bird?"

"No, I…"

"He said he didn't need me today. I had to talk to you." He pulled out a shotgun then and I stepped back from the bench and put my hands up in the air, suddenly terrified. Although Sandor usually made me uneasy I didn't think he wanted to _kill _me.

"Please don't shoot me!" I pleaded. Sandor stared at me.

"I'm not going to shoot you, Little Bird, this gun is for you. Although, admittedly, I probably went about this the wrong way." I lowered my hands and frowned at him in confusion. "Your sister was here this morning."

"What did she want?" I was relaxed again, now that I knew Sandor didn't want to kill me. The thought of Arya still made me angry though.

"She came to give you this. She said she's leaving town. Stupid of her to come here though, what if Joffrey had answered the door. She was lucky it was me." He offered the gun to me.

"I don't want it, thank you." What would I want with a gun? I wouldn't know how to use it even if I needed to.

"I think you better take it, Little Bird. Hide it from Joffrey. I can teach you how to use it."

"Why do you always call me that?" I asked, still refusing to take the gun.

"You repeat the words you've been taught to say. Plus I hear you sing so very sweetly."

"Where did you hear that?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Well, I don't sing." I snatched the gun from him and he smiled. "What are you smiling at?" I demanded.

"Nothing. Are you going to the trial today?" I shook my head. Joffrey didn't want me to go as it would look like I was supporting my father, who was believed to be a murderer. I knew that he wasn't, but I couldn't help but feel that the odds were against him. I was doing my best to act like it didn't matter when I was around Joffrey but now, just thinking about it made tears come to my eyes. Sandor came over to me and put his arms around me and I cried into his chest. All of a sudden he stepped back as if he'd only just realised where he was and what he was doing.

"Hide that." Sandor gestured to the gun and left me alone with my tears.

**_Arya:_**

****"He's changed his plea to guilty. His lawyer told him that the Lannisters would soften the sentence if he admitted his guilt." Yoren was telling me.

"But he's innocent!" I cried.

"No need to tell me that." Yoren had talked to my father only hours after me, when Daddy had told him what he needed to do. He had told me that he'd had to change his plans a little since I had wanted to go to Austin. We were in a small bus that probably sat about fifteen people, but it was only Yoren and I who were in it. I'd spent pretty much the last 24 hours travelling and I was beginning to feel exhaustion set in.

Yoren still hadn't told me where he was taking me, but so far it looked like we were headed back to Amarillo. I closed my eyes for a while and sure enough, it was only a couple of hours till we were in Amarillo.

Yoren pulled up in front of what he told me was his office and got out of the bus. He told me to wait in the bus while he went inside. It wasn't long before he came out, but he didn't come out alone. With him were a bunch of scruffy looking guys with bags and a few of them had guitars with them. Yoren got on the bus and left the guys on the sidewalk waiting.

"Arya," he said to me, "these guys can't know who you are. We don't want anyone to know where you're going. So you need a new name. What's it going to be?" I thought for a moment.

"Arry Lambert." I said, remembering the name I'd told the guy who sold me my gun.

"Why Arry?"

"It's kind of like Arya."

"Okay fine." I glanced at the guys with guitars.

"So we are going to Nashville." I said hopefully.

"Nope. These guys don't want to be country artists. We're going to L.A." He then let the boys onto the bus. A guy who was on the chubby side came and sat next to me at the front of the bus.

"Hi, I'm Hot Pie." He said, holding out his hand for me to shake.

"Is that your real name?" I asked, taking his hand.

"No, it's my stage name. My real name is Howard Pye. But call me Hot Pie please."

"Fine. I'm Arry Lambert. That's my real name." He nodded and started telling me about how he gets travel sick which is why he had to sit up the front, but I tuned out when I saw someone I recognised getting on the bus. I had a mini freak out before remembering I hadn't told the guy my name. He noticed me and came and sat behind me and Hot Pie.

"You eighteen yet?" he asked.

"It's been two weeks hasn't it? Stupid." He just shrugged.

"How's that gun going?"

"I dunno, I never used it. My Daddy got me a new one." The gun guy rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. Some blonde kid sat next to him and introduced himself as Lommy.

"Gendry," said the gun guy, shaking Lommy's hand.

"I'm Arry and this is Hot Pie." Hot Pie then started telling Lommy and Gendry about his travel sickness as Yoren started the bus and we headed off towards California.


	9. Maintain the Pain

**Chapter Nine: Maintain the Pain**

_I hear your name and then it burns a hole_

_I swear I hate you but I can't let go_

_The kind of feelings that you can't console._

**_Robb: _**

****The sentence was passed and suddenly everything was a blur. The execution day was set for two days later. How could this possibly be happening? It was all going too fast. This wasn't how court cases worked. They were supposed to go for months, years even. There were meant to be appeals, he was meant to get a chance to defend himself. There wasn't enough proof, it was all circumstantial, not to mention Dad's entire family had said he was with them the day of the murder. But somehow none of that seemed to matter.

They'd made their decision. They'd made it as soon as my father was accused. And I knew in my heart the Lannisters were behind it. Who else in the state had that kind of sway, where they could take an innocent man and condemn him in the space of a week? They'd even told him if he pled guilty they would let him live, and I knew he had only done it for our sakes, for he never would have cared for his own life so much as to forsake his honour.

But it made no difference. It was almost as if no one realised death was permanent. They were all acting like if it turned out he was actually innocent, everything would be fine. But it wasn't fine. And there was no time left.

My mother and I were the only ones who went to the execution in Huntsville. Mama didn't even want me there but she knew she couldn't stop me. Mama cried the whole time and I held her hand.

"I love you, Ned," she whispered as they made the injection. Tears fell from my eyes as well. When they pronounced him dead I was sobbing and Mama took me into her arms and we held onto each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"They'll pay for this," I whispered angrily.

"Yes," was all Mama said.

Mama requested his body be returned to Amarillo, where he grew up and where he would want to be laid to rest. We made the long drive back that night, neither of us wanting to sleep in an unfamiliar bed, and thought neither of us said it we didn't want to be anywhere near Austin again, and Huntsville was far too close.

I dropped Mama off home around 2am.

"Do you want me to stay here tonight?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"I'll be fine, Robb. Go home to your fiancée and let her comfort you." We hugged one last time and tears filled our eyes again. Mama went inside and I got back into my car. I should go home, I thought to myself. But I didn't want to. I lit a cigarette and I started the car. I drove fast but I wasn't driving anywhere in particular, I was just driving. There was a song playing on the radio, something sad.

_But you went away, how dare you? I miss you_

_They say I'll be okay, but I'm not going to ever get over you._

I couldn't take the lyrics. I slammed on the brakes, pulled out my gun and put a bullet in the radio. I don't know what came over me. Grief can do strange things to your mind. I put the gun down. I knew exactly where I was and I knew exactly where I'd been heading this whole time, I just hadn't admitted it to myself.

"Fuck it," I said under my breath. I put my foot down on the accelerator and drove till I was at her door. There was something so familiar about this, and yet something so different as well. I knew now that everything had changed.

She answered the door sleepily, wearing a flimsy nightie, her dark hair falling around her shoulders. She didn't say anything when she saw me. I could only imagine what my face must have looked like. I knew it was full of desperation and my eyes were probably red from crying.

"Talisa…" I choked out, trying to say something that might convey all my feelings with only a few words. I wanted to say I was sorry, that I was wrong, that my whole world was falling apart and I needed her to pick up the pieces, but nothing would come.

"I know," she said. She took my hands and lead me inside, and she took me to her bed and kissed the pain away, or at least until it had faded slightly. I knew in the morning it would be just as strong, but right now all that mattered was her.

"I love you," I whispered as we drifted off to sleep, and I don't know if she heard me, but I think she knew anyway.

**_Arya: _**

It felt like we'd been driving forever, and maybe we had. Every town we drove through looked the same and the road was long and boring. We stayed the first night in some crappy motel a few hours from Amarillo and I was asleep straight away, having been awake for so long, and been travelling for most of that time. I shared a room with Hot Pie and found out about his life story. It seemed like that guy never shut up. He was nice enough though, and seeing as he talked so much about his life, I never needed to talk about mine. Every time I even thought about what I was leaving behind I felt a stab in my heart and tears often welled in my eyes. I always managed to hold them back though.

We got back on the road early in the morning and Yoren informed us we had a long drive ahead of us. I sat up the front again and Hot Pie followed me. Lommy and Gendry decided to sit behind us again. I didn't know if it was just one of those habits, that you always sit in the same spot, or whether we were starting to form some kind of friendship. Lommy and Gendry seemed to have made a real bond.

Hot Pie suggested we play car games. We played "eye spy" for about two minutes before we got bored.

"Let's play truth or dare," said Lommy.

"You can't do dares on a bus, stupid." I responded.

"Fine, just truth then,"

"What are you, a thirteen year old girl?" I snorted.

"I just wanna find out more about you guys!" Lommy defended himself.

"No, I don't want to play." There was no point me playing a truth game, I had to lie to them about who I was.

"Come on Arry! It'll be fun," whined Hot Pie, "I'll go first, someone ask me a question."

"Fine." I finally conceded. It would be a good way to keep my mind of my Daddy and the rest of my family. "Why'd you call yourself Hot Pie?" I asked.

"Kinda sounds like my real name. Also I'm really good at baking pies." I rolled my eyes. "Okay, my turn to ask. Lommy, what is your biggest fear?"

"Umm, probably… spiders."

"Wow, you really are a thirteen year old girl," Gendry said, laughing and Hot Pie and I laughed along with him.

"Shut up. Let me ask you something. I know you said last night you didn't know who your Dad was, and that you didn't care…"

"You don't know your Dad?" I butted in. Gendry shook his head.

"Not that it's any of your business."

"Can I ask my question?" Lommy asked, in an irritated voice.

"Well get on with it!" I retorted.

"Just say your Dad was right here on this bus, would you want to talk to him? To get to know him?" Compared to the other questions we'd asked, I felt this one was a bit too personal, but I watched Gendry for the answer, way too curious to say so. Gendry shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe. I guess it would be hard not to be curious if he was standing right there. But I stand by what I told you last night, Lommy. I don't care about him and I don't want to know him. He left me and my Mama and I don't have time for a man like that."

"Maybe your Mama never told him about you." I suggested. Gendry just glared at me.

"Now, Miss Lambert, your turn." He was trying to make it seem daunting but I just rolled my eyes. If he asked me anything I didn't want to answer I would just lie.

"What's one thing you've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to?" Gendry asked. I thought about it. I could probably answer this one truthfully. To be honest I'd always just done what I wanted to, there wasn't much I was afraid of. I finally thought of something.

"I've always wanted to cut my hair real short," I answered.

"Is that it?" said Hot Pie. I glared at him.

"I could do it for you," said Lommy.

"Really? Do you even know how to cut hair?" I asked sceptically.

"Yeah, my Mama's a hairdresser. I have scissors."

"Okay!" I agreed enthusiastically. Hot Pie and Lommy swapped seats so he could cut my hair.

We were almost in Arizona when we saw the flashing lights of a cop car behind us.

"Shit." Said Yoren. He glanced at me.

"Should I hide?" I asked, I was suddenly feeling terrified, having thought we were finally in the clear. To be honest I don't think I'd quite believed my father when he'd told me I was in danger.

"Don't hide. Just act natural."

"Why would you need to…" Lommy began but I cut him off.

"Shut up, stupid!"

Yoren pulled the bus over and waited for the cop to come over.

"License and registration." Yoren handed the man what he wanted.

"Yoren Black. We were hoping to find you. Boss said you might like to know Ned Stark is dead." Though I knew it was very likely to happen, the news of my father's death still shocked and overwhelmed me, especially put so bluntly. I held back tears and tried to look indifferent.

"Is that why you pulled me over?" Yoren asked gruffly.

"Not the only reason. We've had word that you may be hiding an alleged criminal that we need to speak with." The cop said.

"I doubt that. All I got here are boys I'm taking to L.A. to turn into stars."

"We're looking for a Gendry Waters. He's wanted for questioning in regards to a robbery." We all looked a Gendry. Luckily the cop was paying attention to Yoren and didn't see us all point him directly to who he was looking for.

"Ain't got no Gendry on this bus, sorry."

"Why do they want you?" I whispered. Gendry shrugged.

"Would you mind stepping out of the vehicle sir." The cop asked politely. Yoren hesitated but got out of the bus. "All these kids too." We looked to Yoren for permission and he nodded. We all lined up on the side of the bus. The cop looked us all up and down. He paused when he got to me, obviously wondering why I was the only girl, but then he seemed to realise he was on a mission and didn't say anything.

"Now," he said to Yoren, "I'm sure a business man like you would have a list of all the people you're taking with you. Let's have a look at the list."

"I don't think so," said Yoren.

"I am an officer of the law. You will do as I say or I will have to take you in." Yoren shook his head. "Fine. Have it your way. Yoren Black, you are under arrest…"

"I'm Gendry." Someone cut of the officer. We all stared at him. But it wasn't Gendry who had spoken, it was Lommy.

"What are you doing?" Gendry said to him. I elbowed Gendry, hoping he'd shut up and let Lommy take the fall. I was sure as soon as they got back to the police station they'd realise they had the wrong person and Lommy would get off relatively easy. By then we'd be long gone.

"I'm Gendry." Lommy said again, stepping forward. The cop glanced at Yoren, smirking. What a dick, I thought.

"Good man. Go and stand by the police car." Lommy did as he was told. The cop then turned around to face him. He pulled out his gun and shot him in the head. That's when all hell broke loose. Yoren punched the cop in the face. Hot Pie started screaming and a couple of the other guys were yelling abuse at the cop. Gendry stood opened mouthed at Lommy's body. Another cop got out of the police car, pointing his gun at Yoren. Yoren was stil beating the crap out of the first cop.

"Put your hands up in the air!" Yelled the second cop.

"Arya, get the boys on the bus and drive this thing the hell out of here!" Yoren whispered to me as he put his hands up.

"What about you?"

"Just do it!" I grabbed Gendry by the arm and pulled him towards the bus.

"Come on!" I yelled at the other guys. They started following me. I jumped into the drivers seat and the boys hurried onto the bus. I turned on the ignition but hesitated, hating to leave Yoren behind.

"Step on it!" yelled Gendry and had I not been so panicked I probably would have rolled my eyes at the cliché. I put my foot down and started to speed up. I heard a gunshot and glanced in the rearview mirror to see Yoren crumple to the ground. I shrieked and pulled out my gun, taking my hands off the wheel.

"Arry!" yelled Gendry, half scolding and half freaking out.

"Take the wheel!" I yelled back, aiming out the window of the bus. Gendry grabbed the wheel and slid next to me, taking over completely as I took my foot off the pedal. We were a fair distance away now but I fired a few shots anyway. I managed to hit the cop car, shattering a headlight and puncturing a tyre. Only one of the cops was up and about and he kicked the car in annoyance. I fancy Yoren managed to kill the other one before he died.

I turned back to face the road, ready to take control back from Gendry. I tried not to think about Yoren falling to the ground and Lommy taking a bullet, and about my Daddy being gone from my life forever, but I was unsuccessful and I felt my throat tighten and my eyes well up. Gendry glanced at me as a tear rolled down my face.

"I'll drive, you can take a nap." I nodded and crawled over him to the seat next to the driver's seat and after crying silently for a while, somehow managed to fall asleep.

**_Sansa:_**

"Where do you think you're going?" Joffrey asked, grabbing my arm as I went to walk out the door.

"Sorry, baby, I thought you we're still asleep. I was going to leave a note. I'm going to see Mama for a few days, keep her company and make sure she's alright. I think we need to grieve together." I replied sweetly, hoping he would let me go.

"Why would you need to grieve over a murderer? That's all your father was. He killed my father," Joffrey spat, stressing the word killed. "And besides, I need you here."

"What for?"

"You're my fiancée; you need to be seen with me so you don't look like you're on your father's side. People will think you're a traitor. It's almost enough to break off the engagement, but I think we can smooth it over. We're holding a press conference tomorrow and you will smile and nod sweetly at everything I say. Got it?" Joffrey still had hold of my arm and he was gripping it tighter, I was sure there would be a bruise there later.

"But, Joffrey, please…" I begged. I tried to get my arm away from him. "You're hurting me!" He didn't soften his grip.

I didn't see what harm it could do to go and comfort my grieving mother. It would give me some time to mourn my father as well. Since his death two days ago I had had to stop myself from crying whenever Joffrey came into the room. If he saw my tears or red eyes he would berate me for loving a traitor and accuse me of being one also. I realised he was upset about his father's death and he was angry that it had turned out like this, and that's the only reason he was treating me so badly. I was sure things would go back to normal once he had stopped grieving. But sometimes it honestly seemed like he hated me, like right now, and for a split second I wondered if he only stayed to maintain the pain, to keep hurting me like this. But then he would go back to his normal self and he would be so kind and caring to me, and I knew that was the real Joffrey, not this cruel one I was looking at now.

"Sansa, if you want the rest of your family to stay safe and well, you will stay here, or I swear to god…" he trailed off and I stared at him opened mouthed.

"What do you mean?" I choked out. Surely he wasn't threatening my family. He suddenly seemed to realise he'd said something wrong. He loosened his grip on my arm.

"Nothing, darling," he pulled me into an embrace. "Just please stay, I really need your support right now. You can see your mother another time." I nodded as I put my head to his shoulder, wondering how long these mood swings were going to last.


	10. White Liar

**Chapter Ten: White Liar**

_Hey, white liar_

_Truth comes out a little at a time_

_And it spreads just like a fire_

_Slips off of your tongue like turpentine_

_And I don't know why, white liar_

**_Arya:_**

I woke up and we were stopped at a gas station. It was pitch black outside, apart from the lights from the gas station. There were a few sleeping bodies on the bus but it seemed like a lot of the boys had got off to stretch their legs or pee. Speaking of peeing, I had to go myself so I hopped out of the bus and headed to the toilets. When I got back the bus was full again and Gendry was back in the drivers seat.

"How long was I asleep for?" I asked as I took the seat beside him.

"About eight hours," he replied, starting up the bus.

"Eight hours!? You drove for that long? Why didn't you wake me?" I was surprised I had been able to sleep that long and also I wondered why Gendry hadn't woken me to switch drivers.

"Yeah, I figured we should keep moving. It's nine thirty now, but I don't think we should stop at a motel, it's better if we continue on. Plus you looked so peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to wake you up." He explained. "Want something to eat?" He nodded at a bag of sandwiches he had just bought.

"Yes. I'll drive for a while," I took a sandwich and he let me take the drivers seat.

I drove in silence for a few hours, I think Gendry must have drifted of to sleep. I could hear murmurs from the back of the bus but eventually they stopped and it was quiet again.

"Are you okay?" Gendry asked at about midnight, making me start. I hadn't realised he was awake.

"Yeah," I replied, "I'm fine to drive for a few more hours,"

"That's good, but I wasn't talking about driving." He glanced down the bus, making sure all the boys had their eyes closed. "I mean about Yoren. And your Dad." He whispered.

"My Dad? What about him?" I asked warily, wondering where this was going.

"I know who you are," he continued. I said nothing. "You're Arya Stark, daughter of Ned Stark."

"Don't be stupid, I'm Arry Lambert, I told you."

"I won't tell anyone. Yoren called you Arya before, and you look so much like your father, I can't believe I didn't work it out sooner."

"You knew my father?" I asked, finally conceding that he did know who I was and there was no point denying it any further. He didn't gloat or anything, just continued on with the conversation.

"I met him once, I sold him your gun. He asked me a lot of questions but he seemed like a nice man," Gendry was still whispering so the others wouldn't overhear.

"He was a great man," I whispered back. "He isn't a murderer. He loved Robert Baratheon. He didn't deserve what the Lannisters did to him. They'll pay for what they did." I felt the tears well up in my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," was all Gendry said.

Suddenly someone ran out in front of the bus, waving their hands. I slammed on the brakes, it was a miracle I didn't hit him. I looked up and he was standing inches away from the front of the bus. He came around to my window and I wound it down so he could talk to me.

"Hello, lovely girl," he began, "would you please be able to take me to wherever you are going. I am lost and have no way to travel."

"We're going to L.A." I replied. He bowed his head.

"That is where I would like to go." I turned to Gendry. He shook his head, indicating he thought it was a bad idea. I turned back to the hitchhiker.

"Okay, get in." He went around to the side with the door and climbed aboard. I looked over to Gendry who was frowning at me. I shrugged and he shook his head. The hitchhiker sat next to Gendry, forcing him to scoot over to the window side. The hitchhiker had long red hair with a white stripe in it. He was obviously foreign, possibly Italian, but I wasn't totally sure. I started the bus and we were away again.

"I am Jaqen H'ghar." The stranger introduced himself.

"I'm Arry Lambert," I replied. "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

"Ah, I do not wish to frighten you, but the police are after me. I assure you I am wrongly accused."

"So are we!" I said.

"Interesting. I would like to thank you for allowing me to join you. Many would have just run me down. I am in your debt. If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask." He said solemnly. I nodded and he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**_Sansa:_**

****After the press conference where Joffrey talked about his loss and how terrible my father was and how lucky he was caught and how much safer it was now that he was dead, he took me out for dinner. It was a fancy restaurant of course, Joffrey wouldn't dare be seen at anything less. The meal was lovely and Joffrey was perfectly pleasant. He ordered for me and made sure I was comfortable and that I'd had enough to eat and he made sure that everyone in the restaurant knew who he was, who he was with and how well he was treating me. He paid for the meal and we walked out to the car.

"Thank you Joffrey, that was a delicious meal," I said graciously, getting into the car.

"You're welcome," he responded. "You did very well at the press conference today, I'm very happy with you."

"You're very happy with me?" I asked, incredulous. Had he taken me out for dinner as a reward for being good?

"Yes, you behaved very well. You didn't embarrass me at all." He said with a small smile my way. I frowned. I knew I shouldn't say anything but I was a little annoyed at the way he was speaking to me.

"Joffrey, I'm your fiancée, not your dog." I said seriously. He laughed.

"Why are you acting like such a bitch then?" He sneered.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"Sansa, don't push your luck. You better shut up right now, or you'll regret it!" Joffrey looked at me seriously and for a moment I felt afraid.

"I'll regret it?" Why was he acting this way?

"I swear to god, Sansa, I've had enough of you. You're really getting on my last nerve, you better fucking shut up!"

"Joffrey, what…" Joffrey slammed on the brakes.

"Get out." He said simply. I looked at him, bewildered. Was this some kind of joke. "GET OUT OF THE CAR!" he screamed. I fumbled for the handle and opened the door, slipping out of the car, but leaving the door open, sure he would tell me to get back in. "Shut the door. I'll see you tomorrow when you can behave better." I shut the door and Joffrey drove off without a second glance. I stood there on the sidewalk, bewildered and hurt. Surely Joffrey would come back. Should I wait? What if he didn't come back? Maybe I should call a taxi. I rummaged around in my bag for my phone, luckily I'd grabbed it when I got out of the car. I was about to dial the number when someone pulled up beside me and wound down the window. Sandor Clegane stuck his head out the window.

"Hop in," he said and I did as I was told.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after I had my seatbelt on.

"Joffrey has me follow him most places," Sandor replied with a shrug.

"I didn't see you," I said, surprised.

"I stay out of sight. Don't want to upset the other patrons of the restaurant." He gestured to the horrible scar on his face.

"It's not that bad…" I lied. He raised his eyebrows disbelievingly. I decided to change the subject. "So do you think Joffrey knew you would pick me up after he kicked me out?" I asked hopefully. Sandor shrugged again.

"I don't read minds." He stated, but it was obviously he didn't think Joffrey was thinking anything of the sort when he stopped the car. I sighed. We spent the rest of the car ride in comfortable silence, and surprisingly I didn't feel nervous around him or anything. Eventually we got back to the house that Joffrey and I shared. It was a beautiful two story modern house with a huge veranda and the block of land that it was on was huge. Joffrey's car wasn't there when we arrived.

"He's not here." I said, not sure if I was relieved or disappointed. Sandor said nothing. I wondered if he knew something I didn't. I opened the door to the car and got out. I was about to close the door and go inside but something stopped me. I turned back to Sandor.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked. He hesitated before nodding and getting out of the car and following me inside.

**_Robb:_**

****It was risky, but I decided to take Talisa out for dinner. I drove us to Amarillo and tried to find a restaurant that was kind of out of the way. The dinner was nice, but I felt like we kept looking over our shoulders, expecting someone to see us. I wondered if someone did catch us if I could lie my way out of it. Maybe I could say she was just a friend. Yeah right, like anyone would believe that.

After dinner we drove back to the house I lived in with Waldina. I would say it was home, but honestly it didn't really feel like it anymore. Waldina was in Austin for some reason, probably visiting some relative or something, since she had so many.

I parked the car in the garage and we sat in the car for a second.

"What are we doing Robb?" Talisa asked.

"Well right now, we're sitting in a car, but I was thinking we could go inside…" I said, pretending not to know what she meant.

"Robb, I'm serious. What are we?" Talisa looked at me intently. I sighed. I knew this conversation would have to happen sooner or later, but that didn't mean I wanted to have it.

"I don't know," I confessed. "I don't know where this is going, I don't know what I'm going to do. All I know is that I love you, and I need that to be enough for you right now." I said honestly. Talisa nodded and I leaned over and kissed her. We got out of the car and I grabbed her hand, giving her another kiss as we headed inside. At that moment bright headlights blinded me. I shielded my eyes with my hand, trying to figure out who's car it was.

"Holy shit." I said, my stomach dropping when I realised who it was.

"Is that…?" Talisa started. I nodded. Waldina got out of the car and slammed the door, storming up to me. I let go of Talisa's hand as Waldina shoved me in the chest.

"I knew it!" she cried. "You fucking bastard! You liar! I can't believe you would do this to me!"

"Waldina, calm down," I said, holding my hand out.

"Calm down? You're fucking this whore behind my back and you want me to calm down?" Waldina raged.

"Don't call her that!" I said.

"You're defending her? This is unbelievable!" Waldina screeched, lunging for Talisa. I grabbed her as Talisa jumped out of the way. She fought against me for a minute but then gave up. I let her go and she turned to face me calmly. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised," she spits. I looked at her hesitantly, worried she was going to fly off the handle again. Instead, she started laughing hysterically. I glanced at Talisa in confusion but she looked just as confused as me.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You're going to regret this Robb, just wait till my family finds out about this. Oh and here's a bombshell just for you. I've been lying too! I'm not really pregnant, I just said that so you'd stop sleeping with this slut." She laughed. I stared at her wide-eyed. "Get lost Robb! I don't ever want to see your face again!" she yelled, her laughter fading. Talisa and I got back in my car and drove to her house, our hearts both beating extremely hard at the interaction that had just taken place.


End file.
